BIO
RECENT EDUCATIONAL AND SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
- Adjunct Professor, New York University, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, Science Health and Reporting Program, New York, NY, graduate class on journalism ethics, 2013-present
- Co-Organizer, workshop on race and science journalism, Council for the Advancement of Science Writing annual meeting, via Zoom, October 2021
- Co-Organizer and Moderator, workshop on ethics and science journalism, Council for the Advancement of Science Writing annual meeting, via Zoom, October 2020
- Speaker, workshop on freelance writing during the coronavirus pandemic, American Society of Journalists and Authors, via Zoom, April 25, 2020
- Organizer and Moderator, workshop on the ethics of gene editing, World Conference of Science Journalists, San Francisco, CA, October 25, 2017
- Featured Speaker, McGill University Council on Palliative Care, 17th Annual Sandra Goldberg Lecture, Montreal, May 6, 2014
- Interviewer, with Margaret Batten on philosophy and end-of-life decision-making, The Yale Club, November 18, 2013
- Panelist, Bioethics Boot Camp, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, March 30, 2012
- Visitor, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ, 2009-2010
- Organizer and Moderator, NASW Regional Meeting, "Artists and Science Writers: Looking for Common Ground," CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, March 11, 2009
- Featured Speaker, New England Fertility Society annual meeting, Woodstock, NH, May 2008
- Moderator, panel on dance and the human genome, CUNY Graduate Center, Program on Science and the Arts, New York, NY, April 2008
- Instructor, master class in advanced nonfiction writing, Quebec Writers Federation, Montreal, QC, October 2006 and October 2010
- Television Production Consultant, WGBH Boston, "The American Experience" episode on "Test Tube Babies" based on "Pandora's Baby," 2005-2006
- Instructor, class on the social implications of reproductive technology, "Mysteries of Science" course series, The 92nd Street Y, New York, NY, January 2005
- Panelist, panel on "Scientific Discoveries and How They Change Us," Virginia Festival of the Book, Charlottesville, VA, March 2004
- Panelist, panel on "Writing About Science and Society," Virginia Festival of the Book, Charlottesville, VA, March 2004
- Scholar in Residence, New York Public Library, "Research Revolution" film and discussion series, New York, NY, 7 sessions, March-April 2003
- Faculty Member, Santa Fe Science Writing Workshop, Santa Fe, NM, one week, June 2002
- Featured Speaker, New York Public Library annual lecture, New York, NY, June 2001
- Featured Speaker, Gifford Arboretum annual lecture, University of Miami, Miami, FL, April 2001
- Featured Speaker, Mendel Medal annual lecture, Villanova University, Philadelphia, PA, January 2001
FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, AND AWARDS
- National Magazine Award finalist, 2020 ("The Agony and, Yes, the Ecstasy of Menopause"); 2018 ("Rethinking Gender," lead story in team entry from National Geographic)
- National Academies Communications Award finalist, 2018 ("Rethinking Gender"); 2010 ("What's Wrong With Summer Stiers?")
- Pulitzer Prize finalist, 2017 ("Rethinking Gender," lead story in team entry from National Geographic)
- Guggenheim Award, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, 2009-2010
- Society of Professional Journalists, The Deadline Club award, 2014 ("A Life- or-Death Situation")
- New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship finalist, Non-Fiction Literature, 2014
- American Society of Journalists and Authors, Career Achievement Award, 2009; Writing Awards 2006 ("Will We Ever Arrive at the Good Death?"), 2005 (Pandora's Baby), and 1994 (A Dancing Matrix); June Roth Awards 2005 ("The Quest to Forget"), 1994 (A Dancing Matrix), and 1993 ("Flu Pandemic")
- Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Book Prize, History of Science Society, 2006 (Pandora's Baby)
- Science-in-Society Award, National Association of Science Writers, 2006 (Pandora's Baby) and 2005 ("The Quest to Forget")
- National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, 2001 (The Monk in the Garden)
- Goodchild Prize for Excellent English, The Queen's English Society, finalist, 2001 (The Monk in the Garden)
- Journalism Research Fellowship, The Alicia Patterson Foundation, 2001
- Officer's Grant, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, 1998-99
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
- Freelance Writer specializing in science and medicine, 1980-present
- Contributing Writer, The New York Times Magazine, 2005-present
- Science Editor, Virginia Quarterly Review, 2014-2018
- Blogger, Psychology Today, 2012-2017
- Member, Board of Contributors, USA Today editorial board, 1997-2002
- Features and News Editor, BioScience magazine, 1978-80
- Washington Correspondent, Human Behavior magazine, 1978-79
- Assistant Managing Editor and NIH Reporter, "The Blue Sheet," 1977-78
- Assistant Editor, The New Physician magazine, 1975-77
- Associate Editor, Comprehensive Therapy magazine, 1974-75
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- National Association of Science Writers, President, 2014-2016; Vice President, 2012-2014; Board of Directors, 1998-2010
- Science Journalism Program, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Co-Director, 2010-2016; Board of Directors, 2006-2010
- Alicia Patterson Foundation, Board of Directors, 2016-present
- Simons Foundation, Journalism Advisory Board, 2014-present
- PEN in the Schools, volunteer at NYC high schools, 2018-present
- Girls Write Now, one-on-one writing mentorship of a NYC high school student, 2008-2015
- PEN/E.O. Wilson Award in Literary Science Writing, judge, 2016
- J. Anthony Lucas Book Prize, judge, work-in-progress award, 2010
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize, judge, science & technology award, 2001-2003
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, Evanston, IL, M.S.J., major in magazine writing, 1974
- Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY, A.B., major in English, 1973