I am an experienced science journalist located in Madison, Wisconsin. As a social psychologist by training (I earned my Ph.D. from Yale University in 2000), I specialize in writing about the behavioral sciences, including psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and related areas. I also cover medicine, science policy, and science education.
I have written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Science, Science Careers, Scientific American Mind, O, the Oprah Magazine, Prevention, Science News, ScienceNOW, MSN Health & Fitness, mental_floss, Reuters Health, World Book Science Year, and others. I am also the first author, with psychologist Karen Huffman, of Visualizing Psychology (John Wiley & Sons, 2007).
My article Is Your Parent Over-Medicated? (Prevention, December 2008) was a finalist for the 2009 National Magazine Award. My article Buried Prejudice (Scientific American Mind, April/May 2008) won the 2009 American Society of Journalists and Authors’ Outstanding Article Award for Reporting on a Significant Topic.
I am co-founder (with my friend and fellow science journalist Jeanne Erdmann) of The Open Notebook, a non-profit organization dedicated to the craft of science journalism. (Follow @open_notebook on Twitter or like us on Facebook. If you really want to make our day, you can also contribute to The Open Notebook’s tip jar, which will help us continue to help journalists hone their craft.)
