Desk Notes Newsletter, April 15, 2020
Inside the April, 2020 edition: Thriving as a remote employee, highlights of a Reddit live discussion on covering coronavirus, join our COVID-19 discussion list, & more
Featured news
Meet our new community managers
The National Association of Science Writers hosts three email-based discussion lists that aim to foster a sense of community among members who are scattered across the country and globe, and connect members with shared professional interests.
COVID-19 communications tip sheet
Are you on the front lines of COVID-19 coverage at your institution? Have you transitioned to managing a team or communications remotely? NASW's PIO Committee offers tips for leading with empathy, managing virtual meetings, and boosting internal and external communications.
Meet new member Lindsey Leake
Lindsey Leake, science writing graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and USA TODAY Network reporter in Florida, shares #WhySciWri in this short Q&A.
Experts examine how the FDA defines and regulates cancer-causing food additives
The Delaney clause, which bans chemical additives found to induce cancer in humans or animals, has long sparked debate among researchers and regulators.
Highlights of live Reddit discussion on how journalists are tackling COVID-19 coverage
On April 1, 2020, the NASW Journalism Committee hosted a live discussion on Reddit about how science journalists are tackling COVID-19 coverage.
Tissue and data from living donors speed research on brain and genetic disorders
Tissue from living donors has powered scientific advances with potentially far-reaching impact, including on neurological conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Ainissa Ramirez: The Alchemy of Us
A diagnosis of COVID-19 depends in part on an accurate thermometer, a device made possible by adding boron to glass in the late 1800s. In The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another, Ainissa Ramirez tells how advances in materials science shape our lives. Along with glass, her topics include clocks, steel, telegraph wires, photographic materials, silicon chips, and more.
Flipping the script: Sustainability science follows the lead of local communities
Fire, flood, and famine are just a few of the disastrous outcomes many scientists anticipate from climate change. To face this challenge and collaboratively create a better future, many are turning to sustainability science.