Nichole Bennett is a Science Communication doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from Clemson University. She is a Knight Research Associate at The University of Texas at Austin's Center for Media Engagement and was formerly a Graduate Research Assistant with Planet Texas 2050. Bennett is also a former board member for Girls Rock Austin and an experienced instructor, having taught improv and computer science courses for various organizations, including the Building Connections Program and Austin Coding Academy. She is an award-winning experimental and immersive theater performer, director, instructor, and designer, having won three B. Iden Payne awards and an Austin Chronicle Critics Table Award. Bennett specializes in researching inclusion and belonging in science communication spaces, using community engagement, applied theater techniques, and improv to help facilitate meaningful interactions between scientists and the public.