Ep 9: The Pen is Mightier than the Pipette - The Journey

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Our story with Sarah continues this week as she discusses her road to science writing. Initially, Sarah followed her love of animals and began working at a local veterinary office. There she became interested in understanding how pet medications work to treat animals and was advised to study biochemistry. Completely sold on this idea and fueled by her curiosity, she completed an undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Puget Sound, and then completed her doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder. After completing her Ph.D., all the signs were pointing Sarah towards science writing, even though she was unsure of this decision herself. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, to complete a certificate in science communication. Through this program, Sarah gained experience working at several different media outlets focused on local news, audio storytelling and podcasting, and research news for a global outlet. Toward the end of the certificate program, Sarah attended a unique postdoc opportunity at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; this unforgettable experience allowed her to work close to the science without actually having to do the science, which she enjoys. Eventually all of her experiences, from working at the veterinary office to discovering her interest in writing about science, culminated in her current position at U Washington in the College of Engineering and the Information School as a PIO. Sample news articles from Sarah’s portfolio can be found in part 1 of this 2-part series. If you are interested in becoming a science writer, Sarah recommends putting together your own portfolio, or sample of writing. You can get started with your local university paper, or university news office.
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