As a high school student, I fell in love with chemistry and trying to understand the details of how nature worked. I also loved words and language and spent countless hours writing and editing for the school literary magazine. At 16, I had no idea that I could combine those two passions into a rewarding career.

So I started out as a chemist. I built carbon-based molecules in laboratories in both Germany and the United States. During my Ph.D. at Indiana University, I assembled sugary, highly-charged spheres the size of proteins that I affectionately call my “giant balls of negative charge.” I’m still fascinated by atoms and molecules and the role these little cogs play in almost every field of science. But I’m also happy that I’m not cooking them up myself anymore.

In 2004, I moved into science journalism boosted by an internship at Discover magazine and an AAAS Mass Media Fellowship at WNBC-TV in New York. I’ve written hundreds of articles for children, lay audiences, and researchers– about topics including stem cells, carbon fiber cellos, cancer drugs and artificial intelligence. I have led workshops to help scientists improve their communication skills. I also have worked as an editorial consultant, developing, launching and leading web-based publishing projects and have developed content for large-scale science exhibits. While living in Chattanooga, Tenn., I founded a science cafe, Chatt About Science, and hosted more than 30 events.

I now live near Detroit with my family, including a big dog and a medium-sized parrot.

Want more? Check out my LinkedIn profile.