Writing

Science graduate students and postdocs, register today to take science writing class in Spring 2024!

If you think you might be interested in a career in science communication or science journalism, try this course. Students and postdocs in all disciplines are welcome.

Spring 2024

MMC 6936 Science Writing, Section 2101, Class Number 22768 (1-3 credits, you choose based on how much time you have to spend on the course). You may register yourself via ONE.UF (https://one.uf.edu)

Mondays, Periods 9-11 (4:05 pm – 7:05 pm)

Location: BLK 0315 (Black Hall – College of Engineering)

Instructor: Dr. Czerne Reid

Questions? Email Dr. Reid at czerne@ufl.edu

Course description: Are you fascinated by the world around us? Do you want to tell engaging stories about discoveries in science and medicine? This course introduces the art and craft of science storytelling. Students will learn how to produce well-written, engaging science stories for general audiences. The course covers writing news and feature articles such as might appear in a magazine, newspaper, online news publication or other science news outlet. We will learn about and practice finding story ideas and news angles in published research, interviewing scientists, simplifying complex scientific topics, writing explanatory prose and key story elements creatively, responding to editing, pitching to an editor, fact-checking science stories, exploring careers in science communication, and other topics. Guest speakers include noted science writers and journalists. Students are encouraged to pitch their work to news outlets. Past students have gotten their mentored work from class accepted for publication in Scientific American, Nature, Mongabay, and Inside Higher Education. Please note that this course is not focused on writing dissertations, scientific manuscripts or grant proposals.

Learn about:

• The breadth of careers in science writing/science communication
• Writing science news & feature articles
• Finding ideas for science news & feature articles
• Interviewing researchers and others about their work
• Reporting and writing science stories
• Fact-checking science stories
• Pitching your story to an editor as a freelance science writer
• … and much more!

Science writing internship – medical digital twins 

The Laboratory for Systems Medicine in the UF College of Medicine is seeking a science writing/science communication intern to join our work in an exciting emerging field within precision medicine. We develop virtual replicas of patients — called medical digital twins — based on personal health and environmental data. These digital twins can aid diagnosis and treatment of a variety of health conditions, including cancer, diabetes and stroke. The work is highly interdisciplinary, bringing together laboratory researchers, physicians, mathematicians, computational biologists and engineers to explore a range of applications. 

The science writing intern will help produce articles, multimedia, presentations and social media content to engage a variety of public and general scientific audiences. The person will work closely with the scientific team, a web designer and a science editor. The time commitment is 10 to 15 hours per week, at a rate of $15/hour. Specialized scientific skills are not required. Successful applicants will have demonstrated interest and aptitude in science communication, curiosity about science, and initiative.  

To apply, send the following materials to both Dr. Reinhard Laubenbacher and Dr. Czerne M. Reid at reinhard.laubenbacher@medicine.ufl.edu and czerne@ufl.edu: 

• Your resume 
• Three writing samples (or links to them), and 
• A personal statement of at least 300 words describing your interest in science writing/science communication in general, and in this position in particular, as well as what you hope to learn and to contribute during your internship.

Resources