My experiences in science writing

1. My experiences in science writing Shubashree Desikan The Hindu Talk at IMSc, July 4, FACETS 2017

2. A disclaimer: The Writing Life – Myth and Reality

3. No dearth of demand for science writers!What I have to tell aspiring science writers among you • Science writing is fun, but you need to work your mind • Writing is like this – Opportunity comes disguised as exercise • There are plenty of areas/topics to write about – there is no need to fret because someone else has written about the latest breaking news • You need to find the right editor and convince Him (and most often it’s a he!) to give you a break into the job. • Once inside a newsroom you will encounter more editors – each in charge of a particular section and you have to pitch to the right editor • Your greatest reward will be in researching and writing the story and most of the time, seeing it lightly edited and published. • A greater reward is that your writing will be like a seed bomb – waiting to sprout in the fertile minds of generations to come – (well we all like to think!)

4. On Science Writing • A story – From dejection to saturation • Why does a writer stagnate • Getting out of the rut • Message for potential scientists and science writers

5. This talk is not about the writing process but the writing life: I am going to start with a story – of how I switched careers and came into science writing – and I invite you during this talk to Explore my life a little bit and grapple with the questions that I face at this juncture in time.

6. Context: Story of my life • Desolation 2000 – No research or teaching for me! • Discovering my path – Intuition – love of reading and writing • Copyeditor; publisher’s editor - 2003 – 2009 • Saturation and searching

7. Gestation: 2009-2012 • Writing for Himal magazine and book reviews for The New Indian Express • Miracle #1 - S Ramaseshan writing Fellowship • Writing for Current Science, Media Voice, Himal and The New Indian Express book reviews • Started writing for The Hindu in School – Mars mission, Higgs boson etc.

8. Journalist: 2012-2017 • The Hindu in School – Education Plus – Science Desk • Miracle #2 – Idle googling for “Awards in Science Communication” • National Award for Science Communication given by the Government of India. (Feb 2017) Like many decisions we make, mine to become a science writer was made intuitively. It started in 2010 and now, seven years later I have no seven year itch to leave!

9. No seven-year itch! 1955 film - The Seven-Year-Itch - based on the play by George Axelrod. Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell. Photo: A psychological term that suggests that a relationship palls after 7 years – of marriage or whatever!

10. Dangers of settling down – stagnation and saturation

11. Why must we question ourselves? • When I take a hard look at myself, there is a certain stagnation. A high-degree-of-comfort zone that I must cross to rise above this saturation of the mind. • What must I do that is different? What can I do differently? These are questions we must ask ourselves whenever we reach this stage. • An exercise (IMHO) we must undertake to stay relevant in changing times.

12. Every newspaper has an editorial policy, a styleand a philosophy • The Hindu – has science content in the S&T page, the Being page (mostly public health) and the Life page. • S&T – Current research – medicine, physics, genetics, climate change, math etc. • Life – less serious and more eyecatching news. • Being – cartoon, concept, health, fitness, biology • Sporadic stories of general interest in other pages That is a Lot of space allotted for science.

13. Some other newspapers Times of India (Trends) The page where a concentration of science stories are found. Apart from this TOI carries policy/stunning news in its common pages. The New Indian Express (Xplore) TNIE dedicates the back page to science and tech. Mostly eye-catching news , this page has short pieces on science and explanations of high-tech gadgets etc.

14. TOI’s “Trends” is more like TH’s “Life” page

15. Another sample of TNIE’s XploreIf you look at the intensity of science communication in the three papers, you get the range – from amusing tidbits, to information and part serious news to deeper research oriented writing. The philosophy of the newspaper I belong to matches with mine… so let me look at my own attitude.

16. The role of a science writer Is it sufficient to talk about what work is being done in various labs? What does the reader want? What does she require to be told? Do I • Inform – Of course • Inspire – Hmm well! • Demystify science – some • Inculcate scientific temper in the reader??

17. Jawaharlal Nehru on scientific temper • [What is needed] is the scientific approach, the adventurous yet critical temper of science, the search for truth and new knowledge, the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence, the reliance on observed fact and not on preconceived theory, the hard discipline of the mind – all this is necessary, not merely for the application of science, but for life itself and the solution of its many problems The Discovery of India, p. 512 Article 51 A of our constitution It shall be the duty of every citizen of India … (h) To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.

18. What does this translate into for a science writer? [What is needed] is the scientific approach, • the adventurous yet critical temper of science, - tackle debated topics • the search for truth and new knowledge – Inform and enlighten • the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial – write well-formed arguments in the story • the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence – Understand history of science and convey whenever possible • the reliance on observed fact and not on preconceived theory – Write up whenever you encounter people slipping into this • the hard discipline of the mind – Read, observe and form educated opinions all this is necessary, not merely for the application of science, but for life itself and the solution of its many problems

19. What are the gaps my writing? • Existing debates • Should we welcome genetically modified organisms • Why do people always posit environment against science? Should it not be a synergy, or a combined force of the two? • Is climate change for real? Every climate scientist thinks so, yet even the US president Trump appears to disbelieve this – what is the problem and what is the truth? There is a lot to read and understand in these debates. There is a prize in just methodically forming an opinion and analysing these.

20. What are the gaps in my writing? • Existing confusions • Does green tea really help lose weight? • What is the El Nino and how does it affect our monsoon? Do we have a good climate model? • Neutrinos – do they convey radiation that can harm us?

21. What are the gaps in my writing? • Fear of the new Understanding new concepts oneself and conveying it to the people • Frontiers of science and tech • Artificial intelligence • Computer assisted proofs • Quantum computers • String theory, cosmology, new physics • Genome editing • New worlds and space exploration - Exoplanets

22. What are the gaps in my writing? • Policymaking • Nuclear power • Science education – New education policy • Science outside the walls – Big science (Arthur MacDonald and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory outreach programme) Notice that the very examining of reasons to write has thrown up a whole lot of topics to write on. Inadvertantly - without really meaning to do this – After all I set out just to explore my own crisis – I now have a list of topics waiting for you all to try your hand at.

23. Fifteen topics to read about and write on • Should we welcome genetically modified organisms • Why do people always posit environment against science? Should it not be a synergy, or a combined force of the two? • Is climate change for real? Every climate scientist thinks so, yet even the US president Trump appears to disbelieve this – what is the problem and what is the truth? • Does green tea really help lose weight? • What is the El Nino and how does it affect our monsoon? Do we have a good climate model? • Neutrinos – do they convey radiation that can harm us? • Artificial intelligence • Computer assisted proofs • Quantum computers • String theory, cosmology, new physics • Genome editing • New worlds and space exploration – Exoplanets • Nuclear power • Science education – New education policy • Science outside the walls of the lab – Big science

24. No dearth of demand for science writers!What I have to tell aspiring science writers among you • Science writing is fun, but you need to work your mind • Writing is like this – Opportunity often comes disguised as exercise • There are plenty of areas/topics to write about – there is no need to fret because someone else has written about the latest breaking news • You need to find the right editor and convince Him (and most often it’s a he!) to give you a break into the job. • Once inside a newsroom you will encounter more editors – each in charge of a particular section and you have to pitch to the right editor • Your greatest reward will be in researching and writing the story and, most of the time, seeing it lightly edited and published. • A greater still reward is that your writing will be like a seed bomb – waiting to sprout in the fertile minds of generations to come – (well! we all like to think!)

25. My greatest reward and The black hole man of India – C V Vishveshwara And today, you gave him one of the most joyful days of his hospital stay! I was so excited by your article today of the blackhole merger, I read it to him this afternoon.  As I read on, the staff gathered around to listen, we could see Appa's brows light up to hear more and more about the merger and gravitational waves and about what all the scientists have been doing, and his mouth broke into a smile.   Then I read out your quoting Narliker, ending with 'Early work by C. V. Vishveshwara...is important.', put out my hand and said 'Congratulations, man!', and somehow one by one  the staff members all came to shake his hand and everyone was so moved, also to be in the presence of such a moment, when he heard your article and that line for the first time. 

26. And if you are not going to be a science writer – there’s still a lot you can do – as teacher, scientist, researcher, mathematician • You are still in a better position to access and understand science – write blogs, contribute as a freelancer, Social media – tweet, post on FB • Be generous and help journalists understand and communicate better • Organise journal clubs for science writers • Never lock yourself into your ivory towers • Make outreach a part of your work from the very start

27. Thank you