What was your first job as a journalist?
Short 'In brief' articles of around 400 words featuring interviews with experts in the geoscience space.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No.
How is social media changing news?
It's making it faster, more accessible, and allowing anyone to share information, but it also brings challenges like misinformation.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I'm not into fiction. You'll find me reading about personal development or non-fiction.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
A journalist is a persistent seeker of the truth and a storyteller who uses language to inform, engage, and inspire positive change in a constantly changing environment.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I don't know.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
No preference. Usually, it's all done digitally with a link to related content.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My Macbook, Grammarly, CMS, Asana, Slack
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
No one in particular. Those interested in solution-driven science and technology news will make my day.
Why did you become a journalist?
To bridge the gap between complex discoveries and the general public. I believe solution-driven news has great benefits for the mind.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A recent article I wrote on how biotech scientists are using ancient bacteria to develop novel products beneficial to today's world.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep writing on the things you care about the most.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the morning - probably at 5 am (UK time) when I've had my first brew.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
While reporting on tech that's making space a second home, I was able to live stream - in 4K - astronauts at the International Space Station.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
One about a new car model.
What's your favorite drink?
Matcha Latte (hot)
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In my garden or somewhere in nature.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
National Geographic
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That Earth science is just about natural hazards, rocks, and fossils. It's so much more, including sustainable technologies!
