My name is Mădălina Cocea and you will see me in jeans rather than a suit, because my role is to be the invisible intermediary between science and the public.
For 20 years, I have been using my curiosity and my keyboard to highlight research in Romania and to open the scientific community to a neglected audience: the general public. I work full-time as a science communication specialist at Technology Transfer Center of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iași — one of the few roles dedicated to scientific communication in a Romanian university.
I write articles popularizing Romanian scientific results, guide researchers in relation to the media, I organize science events for the public, I think about and implement communication and dissemination strategies in European projects — from Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe.
I collaborated with
I published in
I spoke to
Smart Diaspora, Cluj
Researchers' Night
I wrote about it in the press.
What exactly do I do?
Communication for European projects — I coordinated communication and dissemination in 7 EU-funded projects (Horizon Europe, H2020). I write communication plans, implement dissemination strategies, report impact indicators.
Training in science communication — We have delivered over 50 trainings for researchers, teachers and students — from UAIC to the European Geosciences Union (30,000+ members). Practical, not theoretical.
Popular articles — I translate research results into language accessible to the general public. 310+ articles in the Culture Supplement, contributions to Mindcraft Stories and Science|Business.
AI training for academia — I help researchers integrate AI tools into their work — responsibly, critically, with a focus on evaluating results. The course at UAUIM, delivered for over 250 participants, is an example.
Media relations — I connect researchers and journalists. Media training, press releases, visibility strategies.
Why I do what I do
In science communication, I am helped by the fact that I have a dual education: in communication (bachelor's degree in journalism) and science (master's degree at the Faculty of Physics), both at UAIC.
„"Most research results in Romania remain invisible, not out of malice, but due to lack of communication."” — That's the phrase that set me in motion a few years ago, when I created Romanian Science Digest, a weekly newsletter that gathers news from Romanian research, monitoring over 150 research institution websites. The English edition is created with the help of AI and automation — and that was no accident. Working with automation and AI for newsletters turned me into an early adopter of generative artificial intelligence, long before it became mainstream. I saw firsthand what these tools could do — and I felt the need to take them further. And so an entire branch of my work was born: training for researchers about the ethical and critical use of AI in academia.
Despite having worked in the field for a long time, I enjoy it like the first day every time I read a scientific article or a description of a research project and catch a glimpse, hidden in specialist language, of what I know will be a topic of interest to everyone.
Newsletters
Romanian Science Digest — Every Tuesday, 5-7 news from Romanian research, monitoring over 150 institutional websites. The English edition is created with AI and automation.
Science & Communication — Monthly newsletter with practical resources on promoting science and research. 1,200+ subscribers.
Contact me
Do you need a partner with experience in science communication? Whether it's a European project, training for your team, or a visibility strategy for your research — write to me.
English (UK) 
Română