Speakers

Speakers

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WK
NASW workshop
NH
CASW New Horizons in Science
LS
Lunch with a scientist

  • WK
    Marie Hardin

    Professor of Journalism and Dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Penn State, State College, Pa.

    Professor Marie Hardin was named dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in July 2014.

    Since then, the Bellisario College — one of the largest accredited mass communications programs in the country — has bolstered its reputation for high-quality undergraduate education and broadened its impact as a research and thought leader, thanks to highly collegial and internationally respected faculty.

    Under Hardin's leadership, the Bellisario College was renamed and rebranded in 2017 as a result of a $30 million gift from 1961 alumnus Donald P. Bellisario, and the university has committed an additional $45 million in support of the Bellisario College. Much of Penn State's investment is in the Donald P. Bellisario Media Center, which will open in 2020. The media center will bring all departments and majors together to deliver on the Bellisario College's vision to prepare the next great generation of digital storytellers and leaders across the professions.

    She has served on numerous university-wide committees and led a variety of collaborative efforts that engage other colleges at Penn State, other institutions of higher learning, and private-sector partners.

    Hardin served as president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, a nonprofit, educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals, in 2018-19. She also chairs the committee for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

    In 2009, she was one of four Penn State faculty recipients of the university-wide George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2010, she was a finalist for the Scripps Howard Foundation Journalism and Mass Communication Teacher of the Year.

    Twitter: @mariehardinpsu
    Email: mch208@psu.edu

    Speaking:

  • NH
    Tamar Haspel

    Freelance writer

    Tamar Haspel is a James Beard award-winning journalist who’s been on the food and science beat for the best part of two decades. She's a Washington Post columnist and a contributor to (among others) National Geographic, Discover, and Edible Cape Cod. When she’s tired of the heavy lifting of journalism, she gets dirty. She and her husband, Kevin Flaherty, raise their own chickens, grow their own tomatoes, hunt their own venison, and generally try to stay connected to the idea that food has to come from somewhere. They also have an oyster farm, Barnstable Oyster, where they grow about 250,000 oysters a year in the beautiful waters off Cape Cod.

    Twitter: @tamarhaspel

  • WK
    Marin Hedin

    Assistant director of media relations, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

    As assistant director of media relations, Marin Hedin, helps lead and direct the day-to-day strategy of the media relations team. Through her relationships with media, she promotes stories that improve Johns Hopkins Medicine's brand reputation and loyalty. With storytelling at the forefront of Marin's work, she is dedicated to inspiring engagement through scientific innovation, medical advancements and patient care. Marin holds a master of professional studies degree in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in public relations and business management marketing from California State University, Sacramento. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and Women of Color in Communications.

    Twitter: @MarinHedin
    Email: mhedin2@jhmi.edu

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Laura Helmuth

    Health and science editor, the Washington Post, Washington, D.C.

    Laura Helmuth is the health and science editor for the Washington Post and the immediate past president of the National Association of Science Writers. She has been an editor for National Geographic, Slate, Smithsonian, and Science magazines, and a freelance writer or editor for the New York Times, Nautilus, National Wildlife, Stanford Medicine and other publications. She is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's standing committee on science communication, and serves on the boards of High Country News, Knowable magazine, Society for Science and the Public, SciLine, and Spectrum and is a council member of the Geological Society of Washington. She has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California at Berkeley and attended the UC Santa Cruz science writing program.

    Pitching guidelines:

    The Washington Post covers most areas of health and science, as well as policy and politics related to research, health care, health insurance, and science funding. We primarily cover the United States, but we do run stories from around the world. I can recommend editors from our financial, international, wellness and other departments if a pitch isn't quite a fit for my health and science department.

    We are looking for stories that go well beyond a single study, although it's fine if a study is the peg for a story. We do not cover early stages of research; for example, we don't cover medical research when it is in the animal model stage of testing. We favor stories that show the consequences of government policies for people, stories that pull together a recent body of research, and stories that give important science background for subjects that are in the news. We do publish first-person articles that have additional reporting and use the author's personal experience as a way to understand a body of research. But it doesn't have to all be serious — we also like to run quirky, surprising, or funny stories.

    Freelancers can sign up to be part of the Washington Post's "talent network" here.

    Email: laurahelmuth@comcast.net

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Daniela Hernandez

    Digital science editor, the Wall Street Journal, New York, N.Y.

    Daniela is the digital science editor for the Wall Street Journal. She covers basic science and technology for print, video and podcasts. She has written about autism, brain development, neurotechnology, public health and R&D in the pharmaceutical industry, including clinical trials of Alzheimer's drugs and the industry's use of artificial intelligence. She has also covered natural disasters such as Hurricane Maria, robotics, genetics, climate change and reproductive health. Her work has taken her to Mexico, Panama, and Antarctica. Before joining the Journal, she wrote for Wired and Kaiser Health News. Ms. Hernandez holds a Ph.D. in neurobiology from Columbia University. She is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz's science communication program.

    Twitter: @danielas_bot
    Email: daniela.hernandez@wsj.com

  • WK
    Mary Hoff

    Editor-in-chief, Ensia

    Mary Hoff is editor in chief of Ensia. An award-winning science communicator, she has more than two decades' experience helping to improve understanding, appreciation and stewardship of our environment through print and online media. She holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin and a master's degree in mass communication with a science communication emphasis from the University of Minnesota. 

    Pitching guidelines:

    Ensia welcomes proposals from experienced journalists and communicators for feature stories and articles that provide ideas, information and inspiration people around the world can use to shape sustainable solutions to complex challenges. For more information, please download the Ensia Submission Guidelines (PDF).

    VOICES SUBMISSIONS

    Individuals with compelling perspectives are welcome to submit opinion pieces for consideration for our Voices section. For more information, please download the Voices Submission Guidelines (PDF).

    EDGE SUBMISSIONS

    Edge is the multimedia storytelling platform of Ensia. Generally, proposals for Edge stories should follow the guidelines for other story proposals. Please consider, however, that Edge stories must have strong visual content and a reason for telling the story using visuals, and will likely be longer than conventional Ensia feature stories (likely upward of 2,000 words).

    In addition to clearly describing the piece you envision writing and how it will be innovative, please include an explanation as to why this story should be featured on Edge, including any visual ideas you may have and/or photos, videos, data graphics, infographics, maps, etc., you propose to accompany the piece, and why the story will be best told using them. Please also include payment expectations for any visual assets you propose to provide.

    MULTIMEDIA SUBMISSIONS

    Experienced photographers, videographers and designers are welcome to submit proposals for photo galleries, multimedia content and infographics. For more information, please download the Multimedia Submission Guidelines (PDF).

    BOOK EXCERPTS

    Authors and publicists are welcome to submit proposals for book excerpts to be published in Ensia magazine. For more information, please download the Book Excerpts Guidelines (PDF).

    Twitter: @mkhoff
    Email: mary@ensia.com

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Hillary Hoffman

    Writer-editor, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.

    Hillary is a writer-editor at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she covers HIV, allergy, and immunology research. Her work involves writing press releases and blog posts, interfacing with the media, and developing multimedia content. Hillary holds a B.A. in chemistry from Amherst College and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. After receiving her doctorate, Hillary briefly worked as a medical copy editor before earning an M.S. in science and medical journalism from Boston University. She joined NIH in 2012 as a health communications fellow at the National Cancer Institute and began her current position at NIAID in 2013.

    Twitter: @hehoffman
    Email: hillary.hoffman@nih.gov

    Organizing:

  • LS
    Vasant Honavar

    Penn State

    Vasant Honavar, professor and Edward Frymoyer Chair of Information Sciences and Technology, professor of Bioinformatics and Genomics, and professor of Neuroscience at Penn State is interested in researching artificial intelligence (especially machine learning, causal inference, knowledge representation), computer science, data sciences, cognitive and brain sciences, and applied informatics (especially bioinformatics, health informatics). His research is driven by fundamental scientific questions or important practical problems in areas of societal or national priority (e.g., health). Honavar's research has resulted in foundational contributions in these areas.

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Jane C. Hu

    Independent journalist, Seattle, Wash.

    Jane Hu is a freelance science writer based in Seattle and president of the Northwest Science Writers Association. She balances a variety of work including news coverage, investigative writing, book writing, and fact checking. Before she became a full-time freelancer, she balanced freelancing with a full-time science communication job.

    Twitter: @jane_c_hu
    Email: hujanec@gmail.com

    Speaking:

    Organizing:

  • NH
    Rob Jackson

    Professor of earth and environment, Stanford University

    Rob Jackson and his lab study the many ways people affect the earth. They're currently examining the effects of climate change and droughts on forest mortality and grassland ecosystems. They are also working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Global Carbon Project, which Jackson chairs. Examples of new research include establishing a global network of methane tower measurements at more than 60 sites worldwide and measuring and reducing methane emissions from oil and gas wells, city streets, and homes and buildings. As an author and photographer, Jackson has published a trade book about the environment (The Earth Remains Forever, University of Texas Press), two books of children’s poems, Animal Mischief and Weekend Mischief (Boyds Mills Press; Highlights magazine), and recent poems in literary journals such as Southwest Review, Cortland Review, Cold Mountain Review, Atlanta Review, and LitHub. His photographs have appeared in many media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and National Geographic News.

    Web: https://jacksonlab.stanford.edu/
    https://profiles.stanford.edu/jackson

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Genevieve Kanter

    Research assistant professor, general internal medicine, Perelman School of Medicine; assistant professor, Division of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

    Genevieve P. Kanter is an economist whose research focuses on regulatory issues in translational medicine and biomedical technologies; industry relationships and industry influence in medicine and public health; and the optimal provision of health care services within population health contexts. Methodologically, she specializes in statistical methods used for causal inference. Professor Kanter received a Ph.D. in economics and in sociology from the University of Chicago, and completed research fellowships at Princeton University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard University.

    Twitter: @ProfGenKanter
    Email: gpkanter@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

    Speaking:

  • NH
    David Keith

    Professor of applied physics, Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; professor of public policy, Harvard Kennedy School; and founder, Carbon Engineering

    David Keith has worked near the interface between climate science, energy technology, and public policy since 1991. He took first prize in Canada's national physics prize exam, won MIT's prize for excellence in experimental physics, and was one of Time magazine's Heroes of the Environment. He is the founder of Carbon Engineering, a Canadian company developing technology to capture CO2 from ambient air to make carbon-neutral hydrocarbon fuels. Best known for his work on the science, technology, and public policy of solar geoengineering, Keith led the development of Harvard's Solar Geoengineering Research Program, a Harvard-wide interfaculty research initiative. His work has ranged from the climatic impacts of large-scale wind power to an early critique of the prospects for hydrogen fuel. Keith's hardware engineering work includes the first interferometer for atoms, a high-accuracy infrared spectrometer for NASA's ER-2, the development of Carbon Engineering's air contactor and overall process design, and the development of a stratospheric propelled balloon experiment for solar geoengineering. Keith teaches science and technology policy, climate science, and solar geoengineering. He has reached students worldwide with an edX energy course. He is author of more than 200 academic publications with a total citation count exceeding 12,000. He has written for the public in op-eds and "A Case for Climate Engineering." He splits his time between Cambridge, Mass., and Canmore, Alberta.

    Twitter: @DKeithClimate
    Web: https://keith.seas.harvard.edu/

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Maggie Koerth-Baker

    Senior science reporter, FiveThirtyEight.com

    Maggie Koerth-Baker is senior science reporter for FiveThirtyEight.com and a member of the board of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. Prior to that she spent 10 years freelancing for publications like the New York Times Magazine, Discover, and National Geographic News.

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Kevin Krajick

    Senior editor for science news at Columbia University's Earth Institute, New York, N.Y.

    Kevin Krajick is senior editor for science news at Columbia University's Earth Institute, whose researchers carry out fieldwork on every continent and ocean. His stories on science, immigration, criminal justice and other subjects have appeared in National Geographic, Newsweek, the New Yorker, Science, Smithsonian and many other publications. As a journalist and press officer, he has reported from 30-some countries and all 50 U.S. states, often from remote locations including glaciers, tundra, tropical forests and high mountains. His 2001 book "Barren Lands" is the true account of how two 20th-prospectors discovered rich diamond deposits in Canada's far north.

    Speaking:

  • WK
    Karen Kreeger

    Senior science communications manager, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

    Karen is responsible for disseminating information about the discoveries from the basic science departments within the Perelman School of Medicine. Karen previously held this position in the late 1990s.
    Karen has held positions in both public affairs and science and medical writing. She was senior editor at The Scientist, as well as maintained a freelance communications business for several years, writing for such clients as Nature and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
    Karen holds an M.S. in scientific and technical communication from Oregon State University (1992) and an M.S. in marine studies from the University of Delaware (1985). She is also an author of a book on non-traditional careers in science.

    Twitter: @PennMedBench, @PennMedNews, @karenkreeger
    Email: karen.kreeger@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

    Speaking: