Man, what a wild ride
It’s been a minute, reader-friends. I won’t lie—science writing work’s been slow for me since around October 2023. The Generative AI boom, volatile economy, and the state of the non-profit world (and its overlap with research funding) have created hefty roadblocks for science writers. Check in on your writer friends. It’s rough out here.
Still, I’ve somehow been afforded the chance to work with some truly exemplary clients who value my goals, voice, and timely compensation. This year brought some fascinating projects: zooming in on the tiny tags researchers fit on fruit flies, exploring how researchers can make a plant cold hardy, and even probing the lingering questions around what makes a plant invasive. In short, I got to use my brain in cool, exciting ways, which is why I’m distinctly un-ready to part ways with science writing despite a weird year.
When writing work slowed, I got scrappy: working as a farmhand on a peach orchard in Hood River, Oregon, selling crochet creations at local markets, teaching a science writing course to rising high school seniors, and hosting a webinar on ethical ChatGPT use for writers. I also stepped out of my comfort zone to pitch ideas to editors—a few of which got picked up, to my surprise. While I’m still incredibly broke, I’m thankful for the opportunity to spread my creative wings a bit this year. I learned, I grew, and I look forward to (and desperately hope for) more wins, big and small, in 2025.
Looking back, I’m immensely grateful to those who trusted me enough to share their stories and insights with me. To my fellow science writers (some of whom I know subscribe here): we’re a unique constellation of whip-smart, endearing nerds who know how to show up for each other. I couldn’t do this work without the supportive community of folks in it with me. If you ever need to vent, brainstorm, share a win, or scream into the void, you know where to find me.
Because it’s worth celebrating our wins—especially when they feel scattered and sparse—I’m sharing a highlight reel of the articles I wrote this year. I hope you find something here that sparks curiosity, inspires a cool idea, or just gives you a reliable holiday conversation starter. (And I hope you go back over your 2024 and parse out the positives because this exercise is helping keep me sane, and I can’t recommend it enough.)
As always, many heartfelt thanks for reading!
Highlight reel
Sentient
What Does Noninvasive Wild Animal Research Look Like?
The Xylom
For Tortoise Beetles, Feculence is the Best Defense
Minnesota Invasive Pests and Plants Center
Unlocking new routes to pest control: How bioengineered flies could transform agriculture
Reed canarygrass challenges longstanding invasive species management strategies
Tangled up in knotweed: The need for adaptive management
Meet the researcher: Nick Rajtar tenaciously tracks down tree pathogens
Advanced remote sensing elevates tracking of non-native Phragmites
Meet the researcher: Vinni Thekkudan Novi and advanced forest pathogen diagnostics
Phenology data tool helps optimize timing of invasive plant management
Enhanced computational approaches boost invasive plant predictive power
Entomopathogenic fungi may be the key to biocontrol for emerald ash borer
Novel tool helps pinpoint elusive hybrid barberry and map its spread
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Entomology Today
From Pest to Protein: Feeding Livestock With Flies Drawn to Their Farms
Some Florida Mosquitoes Spend the Winter in Tortoise Burrows
The Value of Pest Management: A New Model for Measuring Industry’s Economic Impact
Periodical Cicadas, 2024: Entomologists Prepare for the Six-Week Serenade
Is the Beetle Doing Its Job? How Environmental DNA Can Aid Biological Control Efforts
DNA Barcoding Reveals Diversity of Parasitoid Wasps in Great Smoky Mountains
Tick-Control Tubes: Consistent, Long-Term Use Improves Effectiveness
Chagas Disease Parasite Can Survive in Dead Kissing Bugs, Study Finds
Tiny Radar Tags Enable Novel Insights in Fruit Fly Dispersal
AHA News
How might fiber lower diabetes risk? Your gut could hold the clues
Cancer Today
Medicare Rule Expands Access to Navigation Services
AI Tool Could Improve Brain Tumor Surgery
Everyday Health
Regular Mammograms and Self-Breast Exams Are Critical for DCIS Survivors
University of Minnesota Foundation
Tip Jar
Wow, if you’ve made it this far, you’re a real trooper. You probably deserve a little treat. (Go get yourself something tasty from the fridge right now!)
If you liked anything you read, feel free to throw me a tip! And if you just don’t have the funds to chip in right now, I hope you take time to invest in your own professional development in some way because you’re worth it and, frankly, only you can make it a priority! <3