By Farah Qaiser

When people ask me what extracurriculars they should explore outside of the lab in graduate school, I often recommend science writing. Here's why:

Share your story

Science writing gives you a chance to harness your unique voice, expertise, and experience. All those aspects of your life can inform your science writing! For example, one of my first research projects involved assessing bird-window collisions on my University of Toronto Mississauga campus (...it's a long story). I actually ended up writing about this for Massive Science five years after my project. What unique experience are you holding on to?

Career options

Worried about what next to do after grad school? Building a writing portfolio will help you move forward in (almost) any career - it's evidence to support your stellar communication skills and scientific expertise.

Expand your network

Perhaps most importantly, through writing, I've learned about different aspects of science, met interesting people, and even found new opportunities to get involved in! Whether it's a new obscure fact or me stumbling into a new subculture, I always learn something new.

Interested in learning more about science writing? Join the Massive Science Consortium!