From Student to Science Communicator
As a human biology major at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Srikar Kolluru wasn’t content to just study science — he wanted to change how it’s shared.
Determined to make science more understandable and engaging, he combined his journalism and science interests to found The Nucleus during his sophomore year. The student-run publication aims to boost scientific literacy by translating complex topics into stories that resonate with general audiences.
To do that, Kolluru built a team as interdisciplinary as the subjects they cover — bringing together students from neuroscience, cinema and media studies, journalism and even music. Their work blends clear explanations with infographics and multimedia, using storytelling techniques that prioritize clarity and creativity.
“The idea behind it is to preempt misinformation as opposed to ‘band-aiding’ after the spread of misinformation,” Kolluru explains. “Our goal is to make science digestible and accessible to all.”
The Nucleus team published their first two volumes online in fall 2023 and spring 2024, with just a handful of articles in each. “We did trial runs to test our production timeline and make sure we could scale up,” says Kolluru.
Since then, the team has published four more issues. The most recent debuted early this month — it boasts 30 combined articles and infographics organized into categories such as “Health and Wellness,” “Environmental Sciences,” “Technology” and “Interdisciplinary Sciences.” The site now receives thousands of page views, Kolluru says, driven in part by an e-newsletter.
The team also published their first print version, containing the latest two volumes, this semester — the first time they’ve done so. “Seeing our content in print made it feel more permanent,” Kolluru explains. This semester, thanks to our amazing print production team, it was made a reality. There’s something powerful about being able to hold the work in your hands.”
That same drive to connect and communicate has fueled Kolluru’s work across campus — in labs, newsrooms and student service organizations.
A “busy mind” fuels exploration, service
Kolluru’s wide-ranging pursuits only expanded at USC Dornsife. He joined The Daily Trojan as a photographer, eventually serving as news deputy photo editor. Around the same time, he began undergraduate research at the Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer) at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience — something he’s done for the last three years.
He also found time to serve as director of fundraising for Trojan Shelter, which supports USC students who can’t afford to live on or near campus.
“There’s something to be said for a busy mind,” Kolluru says.
Among his many experiences, he calls his work at CSI-Cancer one of the most transformative. As a sophomore, he joined a research project investigating how breast cancer metastasizes to the brain — work that involved studies of terminal patients.
“The experience showed me how research has the ability to directly shape patient outcomes and improve care on a broad scale,” Kolluru says. “Seeing that connection firsthand made me realize how research can be a form of patient advocacy.”
Peter Kuhn, University Professor of Biological Sciences, Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Urology at USC Dornsife, helped oversee Kolluru at CSI-Cancer. In addition to research, he noted that Kolluru played a key role in CSI-Cancer’s Cancer CURE (Cancer Undergraduate Research Experience) program and the associated REACH initiative for high school students.
“His involvement and impact have indeed been substantial,” says Kuhn.
Emily Rose, director of pre-health undergraduate studies and the health care studies minor, had Kolluru in two of her classes and recognized his potential early on.
“Srikar is eager, committed, thoughtful, considerate, enthusiastic and motivated,” says Rose, associate professor of clinical emergency medicine (educational scholar) at Keck School of Medicine of USC. “He enjoys caring for people — to help them heal physically, but also to care for the whole person in their needs and fears.”
“He’s a natural, charismatic leader who draws talent to him,” she adds. ” He’s developed a deep love for healing and is excited about a future of service in medicine.”
Looking beyond graduation
Kolluru is applying to medical schools with plans to start in August 2026, with interests in emergency medicine, oncology and cardiology. During his gap year, he plans to continue working on The Nucleus — which became a recognized student organization at USC last August — while working as an EMT, volunteering and pursuing creative passions.
They include photography (his favorite subjects are national parks such as Yosemite), Carnatic singing (which he hopes to return to) and a new interest: learning piano.
“When I was in middle school,” Kolluru recalls, “my parents told me I would find out what I was passionate about in college. They were right!”