ScienceWriters is the largest U.S. convening for journalists, authors, editors, producers, institutional communicators, students, and people who write and produce material intended to inform the public about science, health, engineering, and technology. In addition to a weekend of in-person events Sept. 25-28 in Corvallis, NASW will also host a virtual-only component Oct. 14-16.
In medicine, doctors make decisions based on rigorous studies that test whether treatments work. Evidence from research benefits other fields, e.g., schools, social policy, & conservation, Helen Pearson reports in Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works. “Evidence rarely provides certainty,” she notes. “But it can reduce uncertainty and improve decisions—and that can be life-changing.”
Science writers and editors are facing a rapidly shifting professional landscape, shaped by political pressures, evolving industry norms, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. In this one-hour webinar, panelists representing freelance writing, academia, and journalism will discuss how science communicators can approach their work ethically in a time of change.
Clicks, likes and impressions tell only part of the story. So how can science communicators measure the real impact of their work? Join us for this webinar from NASW’s Institutional Communicators Committee as we explore how university comms staff are developing more meaningful ways to evaluate science and research communications.
Landing clients gets all the hype, but not every client is meant to stay in your business forever—that’s just a sign of growth and a sign of being a smart business owner. The NASW Freelance Committee virtual meetup on June 4 will be a skills chat on when you might consider letting a client go and examples of how to do it.
In Body Weather: Notes on Chronic Illness in the Anthropocene Lorraine Boissoneault likens variations in symptoms of her autoimmune illnesses to encounters with hot and cold weather, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, and other climate extremes. "Illness has taught me determination, creativity, resilience, and the importance of community," she says, "knowledge we all need to foster a healthier planet."
“The tools for caring have been woven into our DNA,” Elizabeth Preston writes in The Creatures' Guide to Caring: How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care. From spiders to bats to whales, nature on land and sea is replete with examples. Humans and other animals’ shared biology and brain circuitry not only enable caring for our young, she says, but also living together in societies.
Contrary to common belief, we constantly experience genetic mutations. Some cause illnesses, such as cancer & heart disease. Others correct inherited disorders. In Beyond Inheritance: Our Ever-Mutating Cells and a New Understanding of Health Roxanne Khamsi reports successes, challenges, and risks of blocking or erasing some non-inherited mutations and tapping the healing potential of others.
The National Association of Science Writers and its Grants Committee are now accepting applications for a new round of NASW Peggy Girshman Idea Grants. All proposals are due on Friday, May 15, 2026.
