Little Texas Member Dwayne O'brien Masters The Stage And The Classroom

NASHVILLE, TN. (Vanderbilt University announcement) - Little Texas member Dwayne O'Brien has earned a Master's degree in the Communication of Science, Engineering and Technology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. His degree will be conferred at Commencement ceremonies to be held on Friday, May 13th at Vanderbilt. This is unique not only for the music industry, but also because O'Brien is the first post-graduate student in the Science Communication program at Vanderbilt and the program's first Masters Recipient.

The emerging field of science communication specializes in bridging the informational gap between scientists, researchers, and the general public.

While scientists excel at communicating their findings to each other, they often lack the ability to communicate that information effectively to a lay audience. O'Brien's background in music was a natural fit for the degree.

The world of science needs pioneers like O'Brien who have not only the scientific background (he holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry with physics, mathematics, and biology minors) necessary to understand the language of science, but also the unique communication skills in the written, spoken, and technologically transmitted word necessary to translate that information accurately and understandably to the public. That public includes judges and legislators who must make policy decisions of far-reaching impact on science-related issues.

O'Brien, along with Vanderbilt's Dr. Rick Chappell, is working on ways to merge the talent and resources of both Vanderbilt and Nashville's country music community to highlight science and science education in the United States.

O'Brien has also been working with other Little Texas members Duane Propes, Steven Troy, Del Gray, and Porter Howell on the forthcoming Little Texas album and their 2005 nationwide tour, consisting of nearly 100 dates this year. O'Brien hopes that he will encourage others toward pursing the world of science and music as a means of breaking the communication barrier between the two fields.