In 2003-04, I completed the science-writing series of three classes offered by the University of Washington's Department of Technical Communication. One of the highlights of the experience was writing articles submitted for publication in Northwest Science and Technology, a magazine produced at the UW. Four of my articles, on topics ranging from six-gill sharks to new cell imaging technology, were eventually published. (I didn't take the picture of the six-gill shark, by the way. I'm rather afraid of sharks.)

Linked below is an article I wrote about the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe's measurements of the cosmic microwave background. Writing about cosmology was extremely challenging, and I struggled to communicate ideas that I find difficult to understand to a broader public. In this sense, science writing can be very similar to teaching an overview course, where much of the content is outside of the lecturer's area of expertise--except that the science writer doesn't have the luxury of a question and answer segment in which to clear up misconceptions!

"Bathing in the Big Bang, Astronomers Unravel Mysteries of Our Universe", Northwest Science and Technology, Winter 2004 issue