Carolyn Beans

Education/degrees:

BA, English, Pennsylvania State University
PhD, Biology, University of Virginia

Previous positions held: 

• Associate Editor, Front Matter, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Current position or career path:

I’m a freelance science journalist covering all things food—from why we can’t trust “May contain” allergen labels to what the world would look like if we all became vegetarian tomorrow. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Science News, TED-Ed, PNAS Front Matter, The Food and Environment Reporting Network, Slate, New Scientist, NPR, and other outlets. After earning a PhD in biology, I made the leap to science journalism via an AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship at NPR’s science desk.

Advice for current graduate students and postdocs:

There are so many different types of science writing! If you are interested in a writing career, now is a great time to reach out to professionals in a range of positions, from grant writers and public information officers to journalists and content writers. Don’t be afraid to ask for a brief call. Many writers are happy to talk about their career paths and current positions. Through these conversations, you’ll learn about which writing careers interest you most, and you’ll maybe even get the inside scoop on job openings.