Oh Hey There
I am a freelance science and tech journalist and the assistant director of professional development for the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing.
Science, Technology and the FUUUUUUUUTURE
I also graduated from MIT’s science writing program, where I did my thesis on the science of white supremacy. My bylines can be found in Discover Magazine, Fast Company, NBC News, The New York Times, NOVA Next, Mental Floss, MIT Technology Review, Science Friday, The Verge, Wired Magazine, and Wired UK.
If you’re interested in the bad science that MDMA criminalization is based on, startups that are trying to grow crops in seawater, or a man who believes he’s discovered the fountain of youth for cats, this is the place for you.
Beyond Journalism
I’ve also been a writer on some educational games, including Evolution, a phylogenesis-themed video game produced by PBS and the Harvard Deep Tree project, and Tech It!, an award-winning tabletop game produced by MIT and the Grenoble School of Management.
Click here to read more about those projects.
When I’m not writing about science, I run professional development programs for MIT’s science writing program where I get to help young writers break into science journalism.
In a Former Life
Prior to transitioning to science, I covered finance, human interest and travel with the odd celebrity interview thrown in. My bylines include Entrepreneur Magazine, MSN.com, Playboy.com, The A.V. Club, Time Out Chicago, and the Chicago Sun-Times. In 2007, I was awarded first place in Business and Financial Writing in the Specialty Publications category at the Virginia Press Association’s annual news contest for a collection of articles that included this piece on the people behind Wal-Mart’s massive rebranding efforts.
If you’re looking for information on whether you need a student loan for a kindergartener (no, absolutely not), the filthiest jobs in Chicago, or why one man has a garage filled with faceless Chuck E. Cheese robots, click away.
Bam. Another wonderful dog
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Anchovy Sex Is a Force of Nature
It’s not the size of the fish that counts, it’s the motion of the ocean.
The Mysterious, Vexing, and Utterly Engrossing Search for the Origin of Eels
To save endangered eels, researchers have been working for decades to figure out where they reproduce
Meet the Scientists Building a Prison-to-STEM Pipeline
New programs aim to help formerly incarcerated people enter STEM careers. The barriers are immense
Mental Health and the Modern Fisherman
Fishermen are starting to confront the toll that dangerous working conditions, economic and environmental uncertainty, and ever-changing regulations take on their minds and bodies
How to Handle Separation Anxiety Meltdowns in Kids
The pandemic has made some children even more worried about leaving the sides of parents and caregivers
The COVID-19 Slowdown Will Show Whether Quieter Seas Help Killer Whales
With the help of a poop-sniffing dog, scientists are on the scent of a troubled species
The Race is on to Grow Crops in Seawater and Feed Millions
With the quality of arable land declining and seawater encroaching on fertile cropland, researchers are trying to find a way to make crops grow in seawater
Ecstasy and Absolution
As a teenager, he went to prison for selling ecstasy. Now his MDMA research is debunking the bad science that got him there
How to Make Night Terrors Less Terrifying
Screaming, thrashing and yelling in the night can put any parent on edge, but keeping calm is key.
These Super Rare Butterflies Thrive on Army Bases. The U.S. Military is Helping Them
To save endangered butterflies, an unlikely team of ecologists and the Department of Defense are setting some on fire.
How Freelancing Parents Can Create Maternity or Paternity Leave
Parental leave can be tough to access. For full-time freelancers and independent contractors, it’s tougher to carve out time off.
Designing for a Better Death
In Boulder, Colorado, Jed Brubaker is plotting ways to creep you out, and he’s reaching beyond the grave to do it.
Can the World’s Elite Warriors Save the Oceans?
Force Blue turns elite fighters into underwater ecowarriors. Meet the toughest (and least likely) conservationists.
Taking Politics Out of Climate Change
The tricky art and science of depoliticizing climate research
Ghosts in the Machine
When Joy Buolamwini noticed that facial recognition algorithms couldn't see her, the computer scientist found a hidden world of automated bias.
Our Senior Citizens Are Suffering A Loneliness Epidemic–Can VR Be The Cure?
Can bringing the joy of travel, discovery, and old memories combat the physical and mental affects of loneliness and isolation?
Can VR Make You a Better Person?
Researchers and artists are using VR to reduce racial bias, promote environmentalism, encourage empathy for prisoners, and humanize political enemies. How well is it working?
Super-Speedy Delivery Robots May Bring Odd Shift in Our Buying Habits
Having our desires delivered in minutes is a game changer, but the instant gratification economy faces serious challenges, and possible unintended psychological effects.
The Psychological Trauma of Defecting from North Korea
How can you provide psychological help for a population who doesn't know that mental health exists?
Tasting Victory: Why Gamers Are Hacking Taste and Smell
Tongue-controlled video game points toward immersive experiences that appeal to all senses.
These Gamers Helped Create A Scientific Breakthrough About The Building Blocks Of Life
Eterna is a game that lets players help scientists figure out how to manipulate RNA. Now some players have become scientists themselves.
Disability-Simulating VR Promotes Empathy
Virtual-reality projects are trying to offer a new perspective on what it’s like to experience conditions such as deafness, migraines, and depression.
This Hacker Feline Is Creating The Internet Of Cats
The Cat Exploit project uses roaming kitties to get into your Wi-Fi, exposing some of the cracks in our data’s security.
10 Questions for Alan Guth, Pioneer of the Inflationary Model of the Universe
The theoretical physicist discusses the expanding universe and the infinite possibilities it brings.
How to Raise a 165 Year-Old Cat
Published online through Atlas Obscura
Jake Perry is a cat man, and he thinks he might have the secret to feline longevity.
Recovering from Hate
The science of white supremacy and recovering racists' efforts to stop the cycle of hate.
Keep Calm and Play On: Video Games That Track Your Heart Rate
Millions play games to de-stress, but games using biometrics could help players learn how to manage their stress outside of the game.
Fitness Technology That Helps the Blind Get Moving
A drone that guides blind runners around a track is just one of several new fitness technologies designed to assist the visually impaired.
Healing Minds with Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is quickly becoming a valuable weapon in the fight against post-traumatic stress disorder.
Volcanoes May Be Masking the Severity of Global Warming
Global warming continues to heat up the earth, but volcanoes are keeping us just a little cooler.
Playboy’s A-List Best Vacations for Guys
For the man who craves sweat, adrenaline and action, a resort vacation in a idyllic setting simply won’t do.
Mane Frame
Chris Rock turns his attention from chuckles to coifs.
Brand Masters
The Martin Agency is putting Virginia on the map as a creative center, but can it transform Wal-Mart’s bruised image?
The Things They Leave Behind
Someone's got to clean up after the city's critters. From carcass artists to excrement experts, these Chicagoans work on the wild side.
Jessica Walter
Arrested Development's Jessica Walter didn't know that sex sells on Craigslist before this interview. Now she does.
Where the Wild Things Are
There are crazy cat ladies, and then there's Joe Taft.
Kristen Schaal
Before 30 Rock, The Daily Show, the Flight of the Conchords star was honing her comedic chops for the kiddies.
Does Your Kindergartner Need a Student Loan?
The rising cost of college has gained national attention, but parents footing private school bills for younger students are feeling the price squeeze as well.
LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton on Tiger Woods, Geordi La Forge, and Reviving Reading Rainbow
Debit Card Fees Cut Into College Financial Aid
How your university hands out financial aid could reduce the amount you actually have to spend.
(Re)play Ball!
The most-watched PBS series ever goes into extra innings.
Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson
What do a folk singer and a rapper have in common? Killer lyrics for starters.
Shorely You Jest
Snooki opens up about her new book and life beyond Jersey Shore.
Big City, Small Beer: Chicago
Let the Windy City blow you to these community-minded beer joints.
J.K. Simmons
Simmons gets down to brass tacks about closing The Closer, his first starring role and what it's like to play nazi after nazi.
Zombie Workout: Get Fit Enough to Fight the Undead
Are you truly prepared to survive a rampage of the undead? Because it’s not just a matter of stockpiling MREs and shotgun ammo...
One-Man Band
In a Berwyn garage, Mike Garay reconstructs his childhood, piece by animatronic piece.
Take Steps to Curb Retirement Plan Fees
For investors, these seemingly modest fees add up to big bucks.
One City, Five Hours: Sydney
See the best Sydney has to offer in five hours or less.
Jeffrey Tambor
The Arrested Development star talks raising toddlers at 66.
8 Ways to Go to College for Free
Businesses Invest in a Work Force That’s Still on Training Wheels
Toddlers may be 20 years from entering the work force, but Virginia companies already are trying to boost their résumés.
Find the Rate of Return on Your Whole Life Insurance
Some tips for determining how much cash your cash value policy is really providing.
Pubs We Love: Beercades
Brews and video games go together like Mario and his princess. Here’s why we love these 8-bit arcade bars.
I, Spy
A crash course in espionage gives would-be James Bonds a leg up in the business world.