About
Ph. D. Chemistry, University of Michigan 2017
B.S. Chemistry, Duquesne University 2011
I support students writing across scientific disciplines. I teach a science-focused section of WRITING 400: Advanced Rhetoric and Research and a science-focused section of WRITING 630: Advanced Graduate Student Writing. In these courses, we try to break down a sort of default view of the scientific paper as a container for data, something with a checklist of tasks to be accomplished before it is "done." Instead, we start by examining the paper's core social function, a critical consequence of that being that someone will have to read it and make sense of it for it do accomplish anything out there in the world. Using such a genre-based, socially-focused approach helps me reach scientists working in the huge range of disciplines present at U of M and empower them to navigate all of the nuances of their writing demands on their own with confidence.
I also believe that scientists cannot afford to stay in their lanes as researchers, and that it is increasingly important that researchers learn to interact with the world outside academia. A large part of my 400 course deals with examining the barriers academic writing puts up against such communication, and building proficiency in reformulating scientific work into a package that addresses public audiences in meaningful ways beyond simple explanation. From this interest, I have begun to teach a section WRITING 160: Multimodal Composition which deals with instances of science being used as propaganda. We primarily study propaganda and its contemporary uses, but also examine public perception of science, inherent vulnerabilities in the scientific process, and corrupt scientists to understand how entities like the cigarette industry were able to turn science disingenuously to their advantage.
When the stars align, I also freelance the occasional scientific magazine article and offer editing services for writers of all kinds.
