Careers in Science: Science Writer and Science Journalist

I always tell people that there was a lot that I did not know about the career options with a science degree when I embarked on my undergraduate journey. I had the grades, but had access to limited information about my options in high school. I went to high school and college during a weird time. I am the generation that lived as the information and tech age we know now was booming. I saw information platforms go from far and in between to overwhelmingly numerous. Facebook was in it's infancy and Twitter wouldn't come about until I was almost out of college. Many of the websites available now were created as I was making my transition either out of high school or college. With all that being said, I only knew of four career pathways for my biology degree: a teacher, non-physician healthcare worker, doctor, or researcher. I knew (at the time) I didn't want to become a teacher, for whatever reason I had a limited view on research and didn't want to do that (ironic how I am one now) and the only thing left was a pre-med path to become a doctor. That's what I did.

Low and behold, I did not become a doctor. It was one of my literature professors (Hey, Dr. P!), that told me I had a knack for writing and tried to get me to change my major to English Studies so she teach me how to become a stronger writer. I was flattered but turned her down telling her I was in my junior year and half way though my collegiate career. Hindsight is 20/20 and if I would have sat down and had a conversation with her, may I would have discovered I can definitely merge writing with a scientific background. Look at me know, writing a blog (one of two I own), with one science degree under my belt and  wrapping up another.

Moral of the story, listen to your teachers and professors when they recognize an innate talent you may not even recognize that you have. Explore as many career possibilities of your desired degree by researching books, websites, and magazine, asking teachers and other adults around you for guidance and interning. I haven't ruled out science writing for myself and with so many more platforms available now versus when I graduated, I have more entities to send my pitches. I came across a useful guide titled How to Become a Science Journalist via The Journal of Young Investigators and have shared their tips below (while taking notes for myself). 

What is science journalism and how is it different from science writing?

Science writers popularise scientific knowledge for organisations and businesses. On the other hand, journalists write stories about science and address the narrative critically. As Micheal Kenward, an ex-editor at New Scientists, says, “Science writing is about explaining complex ideas that nobody wants to keep secret; science journalism is about explaining things that everyone can understand but that some might prefer to keep buried.” Although the difference in audience is not irrelevant, as science writers tend to inform while journalists aim to entertain and provoke, the two roles overlap significantly.

How to become a science journalist:

You can either become a science writer by training as a journalist and specialize later or you can immediately decide to embark on the path of science journalism. The choice is mainly dependent on your interests. If you are more interested in the world of mainstream media then you should consider a path that might open to you different options, such as writing for a national newspaper or in broadcasting. This could be done, for example, through a journalistic education following a science degree. If you are more interested in science, you could consider a position in a specialist publication and a more focused postgraduate course in science journalism. 

Do I need formal training?

The most valued qualification in journalism is experience and it is not without surprise that many journalists find journalism school a complete waste of time! There are therefore many postgraduate courses offering both a general and specialist journalistic approach. Some science communication courses, specifically, offer the students the opportunity to explore all areas of the media before deciding what route to take. 

What can I do now?

There are rarely alternatives as valuable as postgraduate courses in science communication. We have already highlighted the importance of experience. As a student, this could be achieved through work experience, involvement in student journalism or in freelance work. Work experience is the most important way of getting into journalism. Schemes such as the ones run by The Economist and Nature are generally focused on editorial work. Student journalism is a fast and easy way to get experience. Editors and writers from acclaimed student journals are usually immediately recruited into national newspapers. Getting out there is really important in journalism so you might consider doing some freelance work. Another option is opening your own website and sharing your pieces of writing with a larger audience. 

Whether you are considering a change in career or you are considering what steps to take after graduation, science journalism requires passion and dedication and cannot be an easy way out of the lab. 

Even if you don't want to explore science writing formally, there are options such as blogs you can create and write for on your own time or freelance for other media outlets in addition to your day job. Even Instagram has the Guides option for longer form writing (though I suggest if you are giving out information, always have your own webpage that you own to back your up your work). I hope you find this useful if writing and science are two areas of interest to you.

Article Excerpt By: Aglaia Freccero for The Journal of Young Investigators, July 18, 2020