Who I am
I was a science writer for the Boston Globe for 20 years, and Institute Writer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the past 15 years. I write about all aspects of science and technology including climate change, biomedical technology, the space program, astronomy, renewable energy, materials science, paleontology, and many other areas of science and technology.
I have written three books: ``Life on Mars'' (NY: E.P. Dutton, 1979); ``Access II: The Independent Producer's Handbook of Satellite Communications'' (co-author with Joseph Bakan; National Endowment for the Arts, 1981); and “The Journalist’s Guide to Covering Biological Weapons” (co-author with India Landrigan; Washington, RTNDA, 2004).
I've written news, feature and commentary pieces for New Scientist, Nature, Wired, IEEE Pulse, Smithsonian, Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, Technology Review, the Boston Globe Magazine, the Atlantic, Boston magazine, and several other magazines.
I received the Media Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Award of Excellence of the Aviation/Space Writers' Association. I was listed in the Forbes MediaGuide directory of the 500 most influential journalists, and one of my stories was selected by the MediaGuide as one of the ten best science stories of the year (1993). I have been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Science and Technology, and Who's Who in Entertainment. One of my articles was listed in "America's Best Science and Nature Writing, 2003."
I was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999-2000, and have served as a judge for the fellowship's application process.
In addition to writing, I am an avid photographer and whenever possible provide photos for my magazine articles, including cover photos.
I have made numerous television, radio, and public-speaking appearances. I appeared dozens of times on the New England Cable News network's daily newscasts and special programs, on several radio talk shows, on a panel discussion on astronomy on the Boston PBS affiliate WGBH, and other programs. I have given invited talks or participated in panel discussions at the Harvard School of Public Health, Wellesley College (keynote speaker for Chemistry Department Annual Banquet), Brandeis University, Boston University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University. I have also spoken to both grade-school and high-school classes, as well as college science writing classes.