Nicholas Gerbis
(He/Him)
- Journalist and Science Writer, Freelance
- Associate Editor, American Scientist
- None, Education Cliff
Phoenix
As seen in:
American Scientist,
Education Cliff,
How Stuff Works,
NewsBreak,
Bryan-College Station Eagle,
Killeen Daily Herald,
Arizona PBS,
Cronkite News,
Phoenix New Times,
Arizona Daily Sun,
KJZZ-FM (Phoenix, AZ),
Yuma Sun
and
Covers:
Science, technology, innovation, medicine, culture, social justice
Doesn't Cover:
Sports
Associate editor for American Scientist magazine | Spoudon Xynones | Nullius In Verba | he/him | opinions mine
Interview
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Several, most of them cheap manuals with sticky keys and gummy typebars.
How is social media changing news?
In too many ways to name, but here are a few standouts: more rapid spread of news (and (mis/dis)information); algorithmic personalization (at the cost of exposure to wider viewpoints); greater capacity to find one’s crowd (even if that crowd is domestic terrorists or propagandists); liberalization of information (while devaluing expertise, experience and reputation)
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Jorge Luis Borges.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I’ve always felt my role is to represent the public. That means using the privileged access that I receive to ask the questions they would want asked, and then reporting back to them in the most truthful, unbiased, full and fair way I can. It should never be about pushing an agenda, parroting talking points, being stenographers to power, chasing clicks, etc. Obviously, we have to pay the bills and judge what has news value, but we also have a sacred trust and a duty to elevate the discourse.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Short emails that explain why my readers/listeners/editors will care, preferably with the published research attached.
Who do you wish followed you?
I dunno -- Tom Hanks? I mean, who wouldn't want Tom Hanks to follow them?
Why did you become a journalist?
I am an educator at heart, and I’m dying to share the cool thing I found out today with anyone who’ll listen.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Like many journalists, I'm proud of the contribution I was able to make through my COVID-19 coverage.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Follow what interests you, push for better content and make sure you believe everything you publish. Gone are the days when you could rely on editors to raise the bar; you’ve got to do it yourself.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Early morning.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Invitations to hands-on or behind-the-scenes tours of science, medical or tech facilites.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
The whole thing was written like a clickbait YouTube title -- a very aggresive "Why so-called 'Experts' are LYING and WRONG!" sort of affair.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading, watching movies or doing a crossword.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Science News, or whatever is featured on Arts
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That science is always “changing its mind” (sadly, this view often stems from bad science reporting). First, science is not an outcome or a belief; it’s an evidence-based process for understanding the world. It’s a system, like the criminal justice system. And, like the criminal justice system, it’s open to abuse by bad actors. But its practitioners are also open to overturning (or, more typically, tweaking) its best explanations when new evidence comes to light. That’s a *good* thing. Ask yourself: How many models do humans use to interpret or explain the world (religion, philosophy, politics, etc.)? Now, how many of them are open to independent confirmation or willing to change based on new evidence?
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