Lesley Evans Ogden
VerifiedLesley Evans Ogden’s Biography
Always on the look-out for unique and under-explored science angles, I love turning up stories that are unexpected, thought-provoking, quirky, or amusing.
I developed a love for science and natural history as soon as I could walk, picking up snakes and caterpillars and pushing them around in my doll’s carriage. Following an undergraduate degree in zoology, MSc in biology, PhD and postdoc in wildlife ecology, I dove into science journalism.
I'm a contributing science writer at Natural History magazine, and my work is published in many outlets including the New York Times, BBC Future, New Scientist, BioScience, Nature, CBC, Science, Scientific American, Mosaic, Vice, Aeon, Animal Minds, Science News, bioGraphic, National Geographic, and others. My work has been republished internationally including by The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Independent, Gizmodo, and Pacific Standard, and translated into multiple languages on BBC.com. Beyond print and web, my skills include science storytelling for radio and television. I was the creator, lead writer, and assistant director of Stay at Home Animal Dads produced by Rotating Planet Productions for CBC's The Nature of Things and have worked as a creator, researcher, writer and story editor on several other science documentaries for broadcast by CBC and Arte.
I'm continually advancing my skills through professional development, networking and training opportunities and my work has been supported by many journalism fellowships.
In January 2019 I received a travel fellowship to attend the WCSJ international meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland in July, 2019. In 2018, I was one of six journalists globally that received a “Trouble with Politics” policy fellowship from the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ).
Other journalism fellowships I've been awarded include Falling Walls, Berlin (2014), COMPASS Conservation Biology fellowships in 2015 (Toronto), 2016 (Madison, WI), 2018 (San Francisco). I also received a fellowship to attend an intensive one-week training workshop in Investigative Journalism at the Banff Centre in Alberta in 2017.
In 2012 I was a recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Journalism Award to investigate the safety of active transportation in cities. I received the same award in 2011 to investigate the evolution of obesity.
I'm an alumna of the Banff Science Communications program (2011) and Santa Fe Science Writers' Workshop (2012).
I enjoy not just getting my feet wet but learning to swim in all areas of science. Specialty areas include natural history, wildlife conservation, ecology, marine biology, animal behaviour, palaeontology, archaeology, sustainability, nutrition, fitness, running, outdoor recreation, psychology, green energy, science policy, diversity, equity, and environmental health. For a close look at my work, check out my portfolio on this site. To contact me about collaborative opportunities, check out my website at lesleyevansogden.com.