Careersin Science Communication

Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH

Texas A&M University

bgastel@cvm.tamu.edu

Overview

• Niches in science communication

• Career preparation

• Organizations

• Some reading

• Quiz: Is a science communication career for you?

• Questions and answers

Nichesin Science Communication

Illustration courtesy of XVIVO Scientific Animation

Popular Media

• Newspapers

• Magazines

• Newsletters

• Radio

• Television

• Websites

• Books

• Other

Notes

• In popular and other media, work may entail writing, editing, or both.

• Increasingly, science communicators are working in more than one medium.

Public Informationand Public Relations

• Government agencies

• Universities

• Medical facilities

• Health-related organizations

• Environmental and other advocacy groups

• Professional societies

• Public relations firms

• 0ther

Scientific Communication

• Journals (roles include scientific editor, managing editor, manuscript editor)

• Trade magazines

• Pharmaceutical and other companies

• Books

• Author’s editing

• Test preparation

• Other

Other

• Museums

• Scientific illustration

• Teaching of science communication

• Other

Note: Some science-communication professionals freelance, either exclusively or in addition to holding a job.

Career Preparation

Graduate and Certificate Programs

• Directory of Science Journalism Courses and Programs: http://dsc.journalism.wisc.edu

• Some sites of programs:– Boston University– New York University– Texas A&M University– University of California, Santa Cruz– University of North Carolina

Other

• Internships (established or ad hoc)• AAAS Mass Media Fellowships

(http://www.aaas.org/programs/education/MassMedia)

• Other fellowships• On-the-job training (formal or ad hoc)• Workshops, short courses, etc held by

professional organizations

Organizations

Some Organizations

• American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)• Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ)• Council of Science Editors (CSE)• European Association of Science Editors

(EASE)• National Association of Science Writers (NASW)• Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ)• Society for Technical Communication (STC)

Some Reading

Some Reading

• A Field Guide for Science Writers (Blum, Knudson, and Henig)

• Ideas Into Words: Mastering the Craft of Science Writing (Hancock)

• Health Writer’s Handbook (Gastel)• Publications of the organizations noted—for

example:– AMWA Journal (AMWA)– Science Editor (CSE)– ScienceWriters (NASW)

Quiz: Is a science communication career

for you?

Quiz

• Have you enjoyed courses in fields other than science? Did you consider majoring in English or another field within liberal arts? Did you minor in such a field?

• Are you an avid reader? Do you find yourself editing what you read? Do topics for writing often occur to you?

• Do you like word games? For example, do you enjoy crossword puzzles and Scrabble?

Quiz (cont)

• Have teachers or others complimented you on your writing?

• Did you serve on, or consider serving on, a school newspaper or other student publication?

• Do you consider yourself a science generalist? Rather than wanting to focus on a narrow research area, do you like to learn about various areas of science? Do you find yourself more interested in knowing what other researchers are doing than in doing your own research?

Quiz (cont)

• Do you like to view science in its broad context? Are you interested not only in research itself but also in its applications and implications?

• In laboratory projects, are you often the team member who writes things up? Do you find this role satisfying?

• Do others ask you to edit what they wrote? Do they otherwise approach you for help with their writing?

Quiz (cont)

• Does a science communication career sound like fun to you? Is writing or editing something that you would look forward to doing each day?

If you answered “yes” to many of these questions, a science communication career might well be for you.

Questions and Answers

Thank you!