Science Writing

As a science writer and public information officer, I leverage my own subject matter expertise in science and over a decade of experience writing for public audiences to research, fact-check, and write compelling news stories about cutting-edge research. I regularly interview scientists about their work and collaborate closely with them to ensure accurate and compelling pieces in the style of press releases, research news, features, explainers, and researcher profiles. Below are examples of each.

By synthesizing, distilling, and translating research for broad audiences outside of scientists’ own fields, I strive to not only spread the word about that research but also to cultivate opportunities for the scientists. My work has garnered researchers speaking invitations and media interviews and has helped them to better explain their work to family, friends, and colleagues (no small feat!).

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Press releases

New visualization tool helps weather forecasters and researchers more easily identify and study bands of heavy snow

NC State News (2022); reposted by Phys.org and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility (US Department of Energy, Office of Science), paraphrased by Tech Explorist

Study: People are most physically active when their environments are both highly walkable and very green

NC State News (2022); reposted by WRAL TechWire and Medical Xpress; reported on by Planetizen

Keeping track of rare mountaintop plants with drones

NC State News (2021); reposted by Phys.org

Research news

A new way to help stop insect pests in their tracks

NC State News (2019); reposted by Pest Control Technology magazine, Mirage News in Australia, Phys.org, and the Education News blog (edu.blog.news)

Remote sensing and the science of sound

NC State News (2020); reposted by the Education News blog (edu.blog.news)

UAVs and Christmas trees: new research to help NC growers benefit from drone technology

NC State News (2019); reposted by Futurity.org and Futurism.com; the story also motivated one of the university’s advancement offices to invite the focal researcher to speak at a donor appreciation event about how drone technology helps farmers.

New research shows water use impacted by the shape of our cities

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2018); the focal researcher was subsequently interviewed by Utah Public Radio and was invited to speak to the North Carolina State Government GIS Users Executive Committee.

Where there’s smoke: reducing downwind impacts of prescribed burns

NC State News (2021); reposted by Mirage News in Australia

Features

How open science can both advance and hinder equity in research

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2023)

In the battle against a spreading forest disease, strategy matters

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2019)

Partnership with Wake County a new think (and do) tank for harnessing spatial data

NC State News (2019); linked to by an article in StateTech Magazine (“Local Governments Experiment with Innovation Labs”)

Taking research with drones to new heights

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2020). Winner, 2nd place, Institutional Communications Division, SCONCies Science Communication Contest, Science Communicators of North Carolina.

Where fire is a treatment, GIS helps prescribe it

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2019)

Finding floods from space to support community action

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2023)

Explainers

What Is open science? An intro, common misconceptions and advice

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2023)

How big can snowflakes be?

NC State News (2018). The focal researcher was subsequently interviewed for NPR’s All Things Considered and contacted by a reporter and the university’s media relations on behalf of The Weather Channel; a version was republished by a newspaper in Finland.

A matter of timing: climate change impacts on bird migration

Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting (2015)

Forecasting the arrival of an insect pest

Nature Ecology & Evolution Community (2022). Invited “Behind the Paper” coverage of a Communications Biology peer-reviewed paper I co-authored (“Spotted lanternfly predicted to establish in California by 2033 without preventative management”).

Researcher profiles

Putting human experience on the map

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2019)

Taking flight with drone research

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2018)

The art of storytelling, with geospatial data

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2019)

Where a great idea can take you

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2017)

Connecting power and place

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2018). The focal researcher was subsequently invited by the NC Department of Environmental Quality to give a lunch seminar on environmental justice.

Getting in touch with the designer in all of us

Center for Geospatial Analytics News (2017)

Book chapters

Shedd, J., M. Skrip, and J. Vukomanovic. Equipping firefighters with the maps they need to preserve history. (pp. 72–74) AND Shedd, J., M. Shukunobe, N. Inglis, M. Skrip, and J. Vukomanovic. 2020. Improving communication with web maps in the Mid-Atlantic. (pp. 170–172) In Mapping America’s National Parks: Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Treasures. Redlands: Esri Press.

Magazine articles

Fading drums: does hunting play a role in the decline of ruffed grouse in New York?

New York State Conservationist (2010) volume 65, issue 2, pages 12–16.

A bird in the hand

The Spruce Moose, summer 2009 issue, pages 1-2

I often write about research after it’s published, but I also help scientists edit their research manuscripts so that they’re ready to be reviewed for publication.
Learn more about my EDITING