✍️Science Writing News Roundup #2 (August 24, 2020)
Improve your science writing by staying up to date on the latest news!
The Science Writing News Roundup got 260 subscribers in the first week! Thank you for subscribing! If you know anyone who might be interested in sponsoring or supporting this newsletter, please let me know by replying to this email, or send me a message on Twitter.
📚 News
The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing announced that Ed Yong, staff writer for The Atlantic, has been awarded the 2020 Victor Cohn Prize for medical science reporting.
The final report from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences Public Face of Science initiative is now available. The report identifies three areas for change that can shape attitudes toward science and people's experiences with it.
Why do those who communicate science do what they do? In the latest blog post from UWE Bristol’s Science Communication Unit, they investigate the motivations and aims of science communicators.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, science reporting matters: “As the race to a vaccine heats up, now is the time for mainstream media to invest in high quality science reporting that is both accurate and understandable,” says freelance writer and editor Sheeva Azma.
🌞 Opportunities
The Nieman Foundation is taking applications for remote visiting fellowships on racial justice and public health until September 25.
Ask Dr. Kat Arney to be invited to the ABSW briefing “The UK health data research response to Covid-19: what have we learned and where do we go from here?”
The FEBS Journal is inviting early-career scientists to write a ‘Words of Advice’ article on ‘how to build a well-rounded CV to get hired post-PhD’. Submit your entries by September 1.
Know an aspiring science writer in Australia? They could win great prizes and be published alongside Australia’s best science writers. Entries for the UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing close August 28.
🔬 Resources
Robin Lloyd, a freelance science journalist, has updated a list with the media outlets that publish science stories.
JSTOR, an online library of digital academic journals, books, and primary sources with 10+ million documents, is providing free online access to 100 articles per month until December 31.
The Coursera Expert Network is a free resource for writers to quickly access a diverse set of experts from top universities.
Survive and thrive in freelance and remote work. This course ($99.00) will help you better structure your workday and keep up productivity while working remotely or scaling your all-remote team.
📹 Videos
The Big Story: How the Virus Won (AtlanticLIVE with science writer Ed Yong)
Decolonizing science communication: a panel exploring indigenous views on science and journalism (Northwest Science Writers Association)
Structural racism and health in black communities media briefing (SciLine, AAAS)
Geneticist and science writer Dr. Kat Arney talks about her new book, Rebel Cell: Cancer, Evolution and the Science of Life (Skeptics in the Pub)
Science communication in the wake of COVID-19, a short course (Kenna Castleberry)
🚀 Advice
How to research and write skillfully on something you know nothing about. The process involves two steps: research and writing. “Being able to explain a topic to a general audience is the best way to check your own understanding,” says Kelly Tabbutt.
Becoming a full-time freelance journalist requires the mindset of a small business owner. Here are 5 important things to consider before you start.
Philosopher of science and Physics World columnist Bob Crease explains how he finds inspiration for his columns.
Freelance science writer Tien Nguyen wrote a piece about how she got into science writing, and tips for breaking into the field.
Dr. Anna Funk, Associate Editor at Discover Magazine, wrote an article on how she got her current job, and her advice for science grad students thinking about a career in science writing.
Nancy Campbell, a historian of science, technology, and medicine, gives her tips on how to become a science writer.
Synthetic biologist and writer Niko McCarty explains how he shifted from synthetic biology to journalism and learned from a river along the way.
🎙️ Events
Science Journalism Forum (Global Virtual Event, August 24-26, 2020)
In conversation about inclusive writing (DC Science Writers Association, August 26, 2020)
How I found my job in scicomm (Science Networkers, August 26, 2020)
Gene editing and journalism: What story? Whose story? And why? (CRISPRcon 2020, September 1, 2020)
ScienceWriters2020 (October 19-23, early bird registration ends September 1)
Science & nature book club: She Has Her Mother’s Laugh (Austin Texas Science Writers, September 6, 2020)
Wiley Science Talks with AGU (American Geophysical Union) on GeoHealth: The Impact of Climate Change on Health and Society (September 22, 2020)
Weird science: what journalists get wrong about scientific studies... and how to get it right (SPJ 2020 Journalism Conference, September 12, 2020)
👉 Don’t miss any updates from the Science Writing News Roundup!
If you liked this post, share it with your friends! 💙
I want to hear from you. What would you like to see in the newsletter? Have a cool project to share? Please send me your suggestions by replying to this email or send me a message on Twitter! 😃
Note: The top image is from Pixel True.