""I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time, when the United States is a service and information economy ... when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority... The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media ..". -- Carl Sagan, The Demon Haunted World, Random House, 1995

14. Letter to a parent concerned about careers in science writing

My Dear Mr. K...

As a parent, you're probably wondering about educational issues and career paths in science and environmental writing for your talented daughter. I believe this is a vital area of study, long neglected, and I can assure you that those who take it seriously will find imporant work to do. Whether they will be well paid or not will depend on their ability to do the work, but there will be no lack of it.

It's safe to say, in general, that writers who reach national level science and environmental publications have training in both science and writing. They may have a minor in, or a second major in, environmental science as well as journalism.

Sometimes Im asked, is a journalism major necessary? The answer is: not always. In many cases, the main barrier between a science major and a career in science writing is that employers in the crucial first levels of the news business are reluctant to hire specialists. They are interested in journalism majors. There is, in addition, an exposure to life in general, a kind of seasoning, that comes with working in a newsroom.

Some science writers go for a degree in their field of science and then study for a master's degree in journalism. Columbia University in New York encourages that approach, for example. Others have specialized science and environment writing programs. These are listed on the SEJ web site.

In the higher levels of the news business, the overlap between journalism and science/environment writing is considerable and fine careers are made there. Your daughter will need to ask herself whether she wants to work in a museum or scientific institution and write on the side, or whether she wants to be a writer who can appreciate the work of scientific institutions but not be a member of a scientific team. Writing from a position in an institution provides a degree of financial and workplace security that is not present in journalism.

Writers who choose to be based in journalism tend to be those who (in the words of Carl Sagan) want to represent the public interest, help set the public agenda and knowledgeably question those in authority. Many young writers put up with the low salaries in journalism and the difficulties of the science and environment beat so that they can begin their careers with an understanding and appreciation of the public interest.

Although we like to think of a spectrum of possibilities, there are also rather important dividing lines between public interest journalism, public interest science and private business. Career preparation differs to some extent, but crossing back and forth is not impossible. Usually it is easiest and most appropriate to begin a writing career in a news organization and then at mid career level to either move up into management or a larger news organization or to move over into public interest science or private business.