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Science Writing
I have written articles on a multitude of topics, including COVID-19, sustainability and muons

What is health-monitoring cat litter, and how does it help detect when your cat is sick?
C&EN
Chemistry gives the classic adsorbent material a colorimetric twist and could provide information about your pet’s health | A version of this story appeared in Volume 100, Issue 24

Meet the AI-Controlled Drone That Flies Faster Than Human Pilots
Discover
Scientists created an algorithm that helped the drone find the fastest path for navigating an indoor racetrack — outstripping the times of two professional drone pilots.

Is It Time to Rethink Food Coloring?
Discover
The FDA says they’re safe in moderation. But some experts say their guidelines are outdated and need changes to account for the possibility that dyes affect children's brains and behavior.

We Still Don’t Know What’s Killing the Birds
Discover
Is it a disease? A toxin? A parasite? Ecologists and wildlife health experts are working to solve the mystery of why so many songbirds in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. are sick and dying.

Are Cooking Fumes Bad for Your Health?
Discover
Cooking in the kitchen affects indoor air quality in complex ways. The best way to stay safe is simple: Use good ventilation

7 New Animals Discovered in 2021 So Far
Discover
The world’s tiniest lizard, a new type of octopus, an ant named with the help of a rock musician, and more amazing creatures.

Construction crews start lowering equipment a mile underground for excavation for DUNE
Fermilab
How do you build a ship in a bottle? Everything necessary to construct the enormous Fermilab-hosted international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment must fit down a narrow, mile-deep shaft cut through solid rock.

Rock transportation system is ready for excavation of DUNE caverns
Fermilab
Fermilab contractors have successfully commissioned a system that will move 800,000 tons of rock to create space for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment’s detectors in South Dakota.

Where science meets the sacred
Symmetry Magazine
Sanford Underground Research Facility is making an effort to build bridges with Native American communities and operate with respect for the sacred land it is built on.

Testing wraps up for first Fermilab-designed cryomodule for PIP-II accelerator
Fermilab
A Fermilab team has completed tests for a crucial superconducting segment for the PIP-II particle accelerator, the future heart of the Fermilab accelerator chain.

New metamaterials for studying the oldest light in the universe
Fermilab
A Fermilab scientist and his team have developed a new way to make antireflective lenses, enabling big discoveries about the cosmic microwave background radiation and the fabric of the universe.

Funding for All: The Inside Scoop on Grants and Fellowships
ScienceWriters 2020 Event Coverage
Wherever you are in your science journalism career, fellowships and grants can give you the resources to pursue a passion project. But what does it take to get them?

To Stop Coronavirus’ Spread, We’ll Need New Testing Technology
Discover
Experts say communities must massively scale up COVID-19 testing, with quicker turnaround times. New test innovations in the works promise to do just that.

Mental Health, Well-Being and Research
University of Michigan Chemistry
with Taylor Soucy
Jen Heemstra, Associate Professor at Emory University, visited the University of Michigan in January to talk a bit about her research designing DNA biosensors and a lot about her perspectives on failure, self-care, and how being an academic is a little like being an athlete

Comic-book science and science comic books
C&EN
Not only are comic-book characters a great tool for science education—so is the medium itself | A version of this story appeared in Volume 100, Issue 16

Interfering grapefruit and low-stress tomatoes
C&EN
Newscripts January 30, 2022 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 100, Issue 4

The Brain Science Behind the "Twisties”
Discover
Elite athletes train their brains and bodies to be in perfect sync, but sometimes mixed signals can spell disaster.

The Secret Cleaning Power of Bacteria
Discover
Microbes are really good at eating a range of substances, so humans are putting them to work cleaning up our messes — and our art.

DUNE prototype detector ArgonCube crosses the globe
Fermilab
The first module of the prototype pixel-based neutrino catcher developed for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment is on its way to Fermilab from the University of Bern.

A strong force for inclusion
Symmetry Magazine
Elena Long’s search for community as a trans scientist put her at the forefront of LGBT+ advocacy in physics.

ICARUS gets ready to fly
Fermilab
The ICARUS detector, part of Fermilab’s Short-Baseline Neutrino Program, will officially start its hunt for elusive sterile neutrinos this fall. The international collaboration led by Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia successfully brought the detector online and is now collecting test data and making final improvements.

On the marvels of physics
Symmetry Magazine
Theoretical physicist Clifford Johnson answers my questions about his work in science and outreach, including advising on movies like Avengers: Endgame.

The mystery of the muon’s magnetism
Symmetry Magazine
A super-precise experiment at Fermilab is carefully analyzing every detail of the muon’s magnetic moment.

One minute with Arden Warner, accelerator physicist
Fermilab
Arden Warner loves solving problems. He’s also chair of the Fermilab Summer Internships in Science and Technology committee, where he champions mentoring young scientists and working towards a more inclusive culture in science.

One minute with Maxine Hronek, DUNE collaboration coordinator
Fermilab
A veteran administrator with a love of flowers and true crime, Maxine Hronek draws on three decades of Fermilab experience to keep the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment running smoothly behind the scenes.

Questing for Cures From a Boiling River
NASW Student Newsroom
The Peruvian Amazon is home to a multitude of bacteria that thrive on extreme heat—and may lead to new drugs.
Winner, 2020 Student Summer Writing Award

We Need to Talk About Plastic Lab Waste
Bioeconomy.XYZ
Achieving true sustainability for lab waste will require more comprehensive solutions than adding a few recycling bins.

Career Ladder:
Kat Day
C&EN
Communication skills and attention to detail assisted this chemist turned teacher turned writer and editor through multiple career transformations | A version of this story appeared in Volume 100, Issue 9

The Secret to Brilliant Auroras? ‘Surfing’ Electrons
Discover
New research sheds light on the complex physics behind the Northern lights.

Turns Out, Venus (Almost) Has Tectonic Plates
Discover
A new look at old images of Earth’s strange sister shows hints that the planet’s crust was more mobile more recently than previously thought.

Can Solar Farms Help Save Bees?
Discover
Pairing solar farms with pollinator-friendly plants could be a win for both green energy and biodiversity.

FAPA gains new leadership, new momentum
Fermilab
Fermilab’s laboratory resource group for Asian and Pacific Islander employees and allies has a new co-leader, new executive sponsor and new plans for building community and raising awareness of issues faced by the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

Argonaut project launches design effort for super-cold robotics
Fermilab
Fermilab scientists are developing one of the most cold-tolerant robots ever made so they can monitor the interiors of particle detectors. The project has already garnered some interest from engineers at other research institutions, including NASA.

The beginner's guide to a career in science writing
Cell Mentor
with Brittany Trang
Answers to five common questions about how to become a science writer.

A Fermilab family legacy
Symmetry Magazine
Steve Tammes’ love of physics began with his grandfather’s tales about Fermilab.

The critical role of chemistry in D&D poisons
Chemistry World
Not everything in Dungeons and Dragons is fantasy.

Meet Four Ph.D. Students Who Passed Their Candidacy Exams in Quarantine
ACS Graduate and Postdoctoral Chemist
The candidacy exam experience in quarantine was close to normal, but the pandemic also made it unique. Read about four Ph.D. students who passed.

Grad Students Weigh In on Returning to Lab After Quarantine
ACS Graduate and Postdoctoral Chemist
Clear Communication, Managing Expectations, and Other Keys to Safe Research During a Pandemic

Why Aren't Academic Sustainable Lab Programs Gaining More Traction?
Lab Manager
Many universities are starting programs to help labs become more sustainable—but achieving widespread participation is no easy feat.