Science and medicine writer and editor with 18 years’ experience at Canada’s two largest scientific publishers
Education and accreditation
- Bachelor of Journalism, Carleton University, 1983
- Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, Carleton University, 1996
- Science Communications Program, Banff Centre 2009
- Editor in the Life Sciences, Board of Editors in the Life Sciences
- Core Curriculum Certificate, American Medical Writers Association
- Magazine Editing Course, Toronto Publishing Workshop 1989
- Certified Proofreader, Editors’ Association of Canada 2010
- Certified Copyeditor, Editors’ Association of Canada 2011
Professional memberships
- American Medical Writers Association
- Editors’ Association of Canada
- Council of Science Editors
- Canadian Science Writers’ Association
Writing
Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed. — Galileo Galilei, 1623
Research reporter 1997–2002, 2010–present
Recent: News articles on H1N1 influenza controversy, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, hospital mortality ratios, for the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Column on nursing research and two articles on survey methodology for Canadian Nurse. Past: Feature articles and long-running column for CMAJ on current medical research. Articles for health supplement for Saturday Night magazine.
Medical writer
Accredited AMWA leader for workshop on writing abstracts. Writer of handbook to a clinical psychiatry tool (St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton).
Professional writer 1983–1988
Feature magazine articles (Ottawa Magazine), press releases (Canadian Council on Social Development), speeches for Cabinet ministers, government publications (Deans-Waugh Associates), radio writing (CKCU-FM Radio Carleton).
- Science and medical journalism (news and features)
- Scientific reports and papers
- Press releases
- Speeches
- Radio/podcast writing
Editing
We are the products of editing, rather than of authorship. — George Wald, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine for 1967
Manuscript editor 1985–2000, 2010–present
Recent: Legislative briefs and issue backgrounders (Library of Parliament), scientific manuscripts (Marine Ornithology journal, Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Food
Inspection Agency). Earlier: Medical journals including the Canadian Medical Association Journal and several specialty journals in radiology, psychiatry, neuroscience, molecular biology, and genetics (Canadian Medical Association), government department annual reports and other documents (Deans-Waugh Associates), association newsletters and magazine (Canadian Council on Social Development, Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada).
Verification of English/French and revision of translation 1986–2002
Concordance editing, verification, and revision of bilingual texts (Canadian Council on Social Development, Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada, Canadian Medical Association). Federal government language profile EEE (exemption).
- Scientific manuscript editing
- Other copyediting
- Proofreading
- Verification and revision of translated English/French text
Publishing consulting
Better simply to follow one’s own natural inclinations, lead a merry, peaceful life, and ignore the vexing problems of publication. — Thomas More, 1515
Consulting on editorial process and systems 2010–present
Consultant on projects for editorial process analysis and for replacement of publishing systems (Canadian Pharmacists Association).
Manager of electronic editorial and print/Web production 2000–2010
Production manager for print and SGML-based Web publishing (Canadian Medical Association publications), project manager of Web site migration (Canadian Medical Association Journal to HighWire Press), manager of editorial and production during migration to XML-based system (NRC Research Press). Peer review and associated online systems (Canadian Medical Association, NRC Research Press). Desktop publishing (Canadian Council on Social Development, Association of Consulting Engineers). Printing, software, and services contracting (Canadian Medical Association, NRC Research Press). Familiar with pre-editing and editing software, electronic page layout, SGML- and XML-based workflows, Web publishing platforms.
- Analysis of editorial and print/Web production processes
- Options for workflow and software
- Migration to Web publishing
- Print and Web publication technology and contracting
- Costing, requests for proposals, bid evaluation for allied software and services
- Publication start-ups
- Business case for new or existing publications
- Publications management
Training
Academic presenting, writing, and publishing course coordinator 2010–present
For the Canadian extension school of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (national autonomous university of Mexico), developed a three-week course in making academic presentations, writing academic papers, and understanding academic publishing in English for graduate students and faculty non-native English speakers. Recruited and prepared trainers and guest speakers, and taught some of the sessions. Course will be offered again in various formats and venues.
Editing instructor 1993–2010
Developed and delivered courses on editing on computer, editing scientific papers and reports, citation (references and bibliographies) for the Editors’ Association of Canada, the American Medical Writers Association, and Algonquin College Technical Writing Program.
- Delivery of training in
- writing,
- medical writing,
- writing abstracts,
- editing on computer (Word),
- scientific editing,
- citation,
- aspects of academic publishing
- Design of courses in academic publishing
- Trainer recruitment and preparation
