Science Writer and author of several books
What or who inspired you to become a journalist?
I was initially trained in microbiology and received my PhD at the University of Washington.
But I had always loved writing and I discovered a science writing graduate program at the
University of California at Santa Cruz – it was like journalism boot camp for scientists and I
absolutely loved it. Through a summer internship, I landed a dream job at the science desk of
Newsday in New York.
What is your favorite story that you have written?
For a British magazine called Mosaic, I wrote about how an incredibly effective but crude
medical procedure called a fecal transplant was saving people from a horrible gut infection. I was
fascinated by the microbiology, of course, but also about how doctors initially refused to try the
method on dying patients, and how disgust over a fundamental part of biology was literally
killing people. A decade later, that feature story became part of several chapters for my book,
Flush: The Remarkable Science of an Unlikely Treasure (Grand Central Publishing, 2022). Yes,
it’s all about the science of poop!
Do you feel like you have a dual responsibility for being queer and a journalist?
As a storyteller, my biggest responsibility is to my readers, to make sure that I’m fairly and
accurately conveying what I’ve seen, heard, and researched. Overall, my sexual orientation has
little bearing on my job. In fact, I feel as though queer journalists are often put under a
microscope due to the enduring trope that we’re somehow biased and can’t be trusted to
accurately cover topics that pertain to the LGBTQ+ community. No one would say the same
thing about the inherent bias of a straight journalist. As professionals, we work with editors to
ensure that we’re fair and accurate and that we can back up our assertions. That said, I do feel
like my life experiences and curiosity have allowed me to be a more empathetic journalist and to
share important context and nuance with readers when it’s relevant to the story.
Do you believe you have a role to play in helping preserve LGBTQ+ history and culture in
your work?
I’m not a historian, but in some of my articles and in my book, I have tried to include important
historical examples and context: for example, how disgust was weaponized against LGBTQ+
people and other groups in the past and how some of those historical patterns have recently
reemerged. I’ve also written about the efforts to censor LGBTQ+ history and culture through
book bans in schools and libraries. So in that sense, bringing awareness to the book bans and
helping readers understand why the purge is occurring and how the efforts might be countered
could help preserve the important words of other queer authors.
What keeps you passionate about journalism?
I’m incredibly passionate about science and discovering new things, and I’ve been so awed and
humbled by sources who have shared their stories with me. I’ve tried to amplify those voices,
and I find optimism in the extraordinary diversity and creativity of research aimed at making the
world a better place.
What advice would you have for those wanting to become a journalist?
First, I’d reemphasize that journalism requires some degree of passion for the craft, especially
since the profession is going through a rough patch. But it’s so essential for a functioning
democracy! Journalists are on the front lines, trying to shine a bright light in dark corners to hold
politicians and others accountable for their words and actions, and to help people better
understand themselves, each other, and the world around them. We need smart, young journalists
to bring their diverse perspectives and voices. My best advice would be to try your hand at
writing for a high school or college newspaper, take some writing classes, and see how you like
it. Incoming journalists will need to be adaptable and nimble, but it can be an incredibly
rewarding occupation.
How has being a journalist impacted your personal life?
I’m not liable to become rich anytime soon. Ha. But I feel like my life has really been enriched
by my profession. I get to learn new things every day and talk to smart and committed people
about their own passions. I enjoy putting the pieces together, recognizing patterns, and
connecting the dots in a way that translates science and medicine for readers and helps them
understand why they should care. Most of all, I love telling important stories that might
otherwise go untold. It’s very gratifying and I hope that my words are helping to make the world
a better place for others as well.
Do you have any future goals or projects you would like to share with us?
I’ve written a chapter for a book about battling book censorship efforts, which should be out in
the fall. And I’ve started some preliminary work for a potential second book. Stay tuned!
