I’m an award-winning science journalist and am co-founder, executive director, and editor-in-chief of The Open Notebook, a nonprofit organization that provides training, mentoring, and community support for journalists who cover science. I’m the editor of The Craft of Science Writing, the second edition of which was published in November 2024 by the University of Chicago Press; and also of The Best Science Stories and How They Work (forthcoming Spring 2026, also from UCP).
I’ve written and edited hundreds of stories that span many areas of science, from psychology to conservation biology to medicine. My writing and editorial work have appeared in The New York Times, Science, Scientific American, Science News, Discover, bioGraphic, and many other publications.
I serve on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication. A longtime member of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW), I served as its president from 2018 to 2020. I’m also active in several other professional organizations, including the Online News Association—where I received the 2023 Community Award—and the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Association of Health Care Journalists.
I’ve served on the jury for numerous journalism awards and speak regularly to newsroom leaders, professional groups, and academic programs. I hold a Ph.D. in social psychology from Yale University and live in Madison, Wisconsin.