Members and guests joined Ian Haydon and Rebecca Randall, our 2017 NSWA career development award winners, on Nov. 28 for an evening discussion recapping the World Conference of Science Journalists last month in San Francisco. Ian and Rebecca both used their awards to attend the conference, which drew more than 1,300 registrants from over 70 countries.
In the casual setting of Seattle’s Floating Bridge Brewing, Rebecca and Ian shared impressions from the conference, and insights on how they plan to use the experience to reach nontraditional audiences and propel their careers forward.
Rebecca is the first science editor hired by Christianity Today, an evangelical magazine that claims more than 450,000 print subscribers. Ian is a scientist by training who is beginning to write for general audiences on platforms such as The Conversation. Read more below:
- Ian Haydon is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Washington and a Science Communication Fellow at Pacific Science Center. Before starting graduate school he worked in the California biotech industry for three years. His current research combines computer science and biological design. Ian has written about the field he works in for The Conversation, a general-interest website featuring content written by researchers and academics. His articles have been republished in Scientific American, RealClearScience, Salon, Fast Company and more than 30 other online outlets. After completing his Ph.D., Ian plans on crossing over into the world of science writing full-time.
- Rebecca Randall is the science editor for Christianity Today. She spent the early part of her career reporting on cities and school districts in the Portland, Ore., area for eight years. Rebecca received an M.A. in international studies from the University of Washington, during which time she reported for the Seattle Globalist and Humanosphere on agriculture and environmental issues. She lives in Vancouver, Wash.
A live tweet of the event is available below: