In each issue of ScienceWriters, we feature one of NASW’s many volunteer-led committees as a refresher on their role and ongoing efforts on behalf of our member community. Here, we speak with Erin Ross and Sarah Zielinski, co-chairs of the Membership Committee.
Erin Ross
What does the Membership Committee do?
The Membership Committee has two main goals: We want to better understand the nature of the NASW membership so that the Board and other committees can use that data to better serve the membership. And we want to find new member benefits—because who doesn’t like free stuff?
What are some examples of your recent discussions and initiatives?
We recently updated the annual member survey—the one that everyone fills out when they renew their membership—to reflect changes in our field and hopefully to answer some questions we have about the science writing community. We also have been working on collecting data about the science writing field and other writing and journalism organizations to help the Membership Working Group and NASW Board.
Sarah Zielinski
Who should volunteer for the Membership Committee, and why?
We are particularly interested in recruiting members with experience in creating surveys and analyzing their results. Also, anyone who wants to help find more free stuff for members is definitely welcome.
Erin Ross is a writer and researcher for Oregon Public Broadcasting, specializing in science and environmental coverage.
Sarah Zielinski is managing editor of Science News for Students, an online magazine bringing science journalism to kids ages 9 to 14.
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