SCIENTISTS TURNED WRITERS OFTEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

by Haleh Samiei

After spending over a decade preparing for a scientific research career, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to give it all up. But more and more Ph.D. scientists are doing just that. And many turn to science writing as another way to satisfy their curiosity. These scientists, however, find they must undergo extra scrutiny by traditional journalists until they prove they can write.

There are many reasons why scientists give up research. The main reason is having second thoughts about whether lab research will be a fulfilling career.

Elia Ben-Ari, a freelance writer in Virginia and former pharmacologist, said, "Even in graduate school, I started getting a feeling that maybe laboratory research wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life."

I'd rather tell the stories of science than create them myself . . .

Lara Pullen, a freelance writer in Chicago, left immunology research because of a desire to have a real life. "I wanted something that I could do from home so that I could watch my little girl grow up."

Another reason for leaving research is frustration with the work. Kevin Davies trained in human genetics before becoming a writer with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the author of several books, said, "I came to the belated realization that I wasn't cut out for life at the bench. My research was going poorly and I don't think I had the determination to make the sacrifices to get out of the rut I was in . . . I wanted a diversion from repeating another failed experiment."

Jonathan Knight, who was a molecular biologist before writing for the New Scientist, said he left the lab because it was "lots of work for little reward and dim future prospects."

The competition for limited number of jobs also drives many Ph.D.s out of the lab. Ben-Ari said that she became miserable and disillusioned during her post-doctoral research, in part, because "I realized that research wasn't as idealistic as I had thought; that I had envisioned . . . a collaborative environment."

Ben-Ari said she wanted to do the research without having to battle with people to get ahead.

David Kestenbaum, a science correspondent for the National Public Radio, said, "I thought I could be a solid physicist, but not a great one. There were people around me better suited to it--those who did integrals by drawing in the air with their finger."

And, finally, a career in research does not always satisfy one's curiosity about science. Suzanne Clancy, a public information officer at the Salk Institute with a doctorate in genetics, said she wanted to branch out. "Being successful in science required dogged pursuit of a small piece of the knowledge pie, at least until one established a solid reputation and could pursue other questions," she said. "I wanted my focus to be wider."

Science writing allows scientists to explore other areas of science. "I'd rather tell the stories of science than create them myself," said Evelyn Strauss, a writer in California, who contributes to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) online and print publications. A former biochemist, she likes "the pace of learning in science writing. Every week or two, I get to dip into something completely new. It keeps my intellectual skills honed in a different way than research did. There I got depth, but much less breadth: I had to do a lot of mini-preps before I got to move on to the next intellectual or creative challenge."

Every week or two, I get to dip into something completely new. It keeps my intellectual skills honed in a different way than research did.

The transition, however, from the lab to writing is not easy. First, scientists have to put up with the disapproving eyes of their academic advisors and peers. Strauss said the one common mindset is "if you're smart enough to do science, why in the world would you do anything different?" The second issue is the fear of an uncertain future.

"It was a really hard decision," said Ben-Ari, "It was scary, and I thought about how I spent all those years in the lab training with the idea that I would be a researcher, and then I gave it up." She left with the idea of trying to write for a year or two and returning to the lab if things did not work out.

Fortunately, Ben-Ari never had to look back. She landed the first science writing and editing job to which she applied. What helped was that she had contributed to her college newspaper a few times and later reviewed children's science books for librarians during her post-doc years.

Clips are essential and they need not be exclusively on science topics. Shauna Roberts, a freelance writer in Louisiana with a degree in anthropology, wrote cookbook reviews for the newsletter of a local food co-op before she started to contribute to Science magazine.

Turning a Passion for Science Into a Passion for Writing I left a promising scientific career after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. At the time, I was a researcher at the National Cancer Institute. I've always had a passion for science. My undergraduate results were published in a peer-reviewed journal, fellowships and scholarships carried me through graduate school, and my postdoc was in a lab I had dreamed about. In the months prior to my diagnosis, however, I wondered if I had made the right career choice. I was frustrated pursuing the research interests of others and shocked by the competition between scientists. My diagnosis gave me the push I needed to find a new career. But, first I needed to heal. I was fortunate to be at NCI and had access to information on the latest clinical trials. Six months later the lymphoma was in remission. However, the end of my illness also signaled the end of my research on cancer. I decided I could not risk returning to an environment of harmful vapors, carcinogenic dust, and the ominous ticking of the Geiger counter. I investigated bioinformatics, teaching, and patent law but did not find them stimulating. I had a vague idea about scientific publishing. After all, writing and editing had been part of my job for years. I applied for positions and collected rejection letters, or received no reply at all. Meanwhile, my interest in science writing grew. I investigated avenues of training, stumbled in the dark for a while, and hesitated to go back into the classroom full time after spending a decade at school. Instead, I earned a technical editing certificate through a part-time program. Interviews followed, but potential employers shied away from my Ph.D. I was ready to lie about my background. Then a break came in the form of internships, volunteering at a community newspaper, and finally an editing job. After awhile, I realized that to be competitive I needed a degree in science writing. A part-time program at Johns Hopkins University allowed me to study and work at the same time. It was a demanding period during which my son was born, thankfully after a semester had ended. Going back to school was the right decision. I had much to learn about writing from a new perspective for new audiences. Also invaluable was participating in the American Chemical Society's Science Reporters' and the Santa Fe Science Writing Workshops. Contacts made through NASW and DCSWA led to opportunities. In fact, the NASW mentoring program is indirectly responsible for my current job as a columnist for the Washington Post's weekly Health section. Persistence paid off as one writing opportunity led to another. At this point, I could finally think of my cancer as being cured. -- Haleh Samiei

Sometimes getting one's feet wet may mean writing for little or no pay. "In the worst case," said Ben-Ari, "Write a piece intended for publication to show that you can explain technical material to a lay audience."

Some scientists make the transition through writing internships, fellowships, or workshops. Joe Palca, a National Public Radio science correspondent and recent Kaiser Media Fellow, received an AAAS Mass Media Fellowship which brought with it the opportunity to write for a TV station. Clancy did an internship with the Stanford University news office. She also participated in the Santa Fe Science Writing Workshop for two consecutive years. "It was instrumental in my development as a writer," she said. "I was able to meet and learn from others who had made or were making the transition."

Still others may decide to go back to school to learn to write. Many universities now offer graduate and certificate programs in science writing. The program at the University of California in Santa Cruz is specifically geared to scientists. Knight, a graduate of the Santa Cruz program, said going back to school provided him with the contacts he needed to get an internship at the New Scientist. That, in turn, led to a full-time position.

Professional writing organizations also provide opportunities to network and learn from experienced writers. Pullen loves the NASW discussion groups. "I pretty much learned everything I know about the business of writing from the NASW freelance listserve," she said. Clancy met San Diego-based consultant Lynne Friedmann through the NASW Mentoring Program at AAAS. Clancy said she learned a great deal from Friedmann about ethics in journalism and other issues facing writers.

By and large, scientists-turned-writers have few regrets about leaving the lab. Palca says that he never gave it a second thought or missed research for a minute.

"Occasionally, I wish I were part of the biotech boom," says Knight, "But I have no regrets about leaving academia."

One thing that bothers John Miller, a freelance writer in Ohio who is a nuclear engineer as well as a Ph.D. in psychology, is the "disinclusion phenomenon." He says that his psychologist colleagues have always referred to him as a journalist and his journalist colleagues have always called him a psychologist. "It's been hard for me to put all my backgrounds together."

Other scientists find their biggest hurdle is leaving behind the passive "scientist voice" in their writing. That often means starting at the beginning and learning the basics of leading with news, not background information.

Miller does advise those who have only two to three years of study remaining to finish their Ph.D. "Science writing must move beyond its present state, where only some people even majored in science in college," he said. "We need ringers in each field of science-people who can provide perspective the rest of us cannot."

Haleh Samiei is a freelance writer in Gaithersburg, MD. She hold a Ph.D. in molecular biology.

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