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The Daytime Astronomer's Career Path
By Alex Antunes | May 1st 2009 10:01 AM | 6 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About Alex Antunes

In "The Sky By Day", Dr. Alex Antunes serves twice-weekly slices of life from the sometimes strange, sometimes oddly normal workday of a NASA astrophysicist. Readers get the inside scoop on what... Full Bio


So you wanna be an astrophysicist? Try this route!
  1. Leave a well-paying NASA job to get a Ph.D.
  2. Begin studying solar CMEs ... while the sun is at solar minimum.
  3. Assessing how the web is kicking print media's butt, consider shifting career to ... journalism?

I suppose some explanation is necessary. I admit having to stop doing research so I could get a Ph.D. to do research sounds silly, but my Ph.D. really did kick up my access to do science. In many ways, a Ph.D. is like a union card. And starting coronal mass ejection (CME) work during the sun's boring cycle was 'mission-driven'-- because that's when STEREO was launched. Once CMEs start popping off, my tools are ready and built to use (and publically available as 's3drs' via SolarSoftware). Finally, yes, I'm considering shifting to science writing as a full-time position, admitably not for newspapers but within NASA.

In general I have a trifurcated career. Sure, I'm a kick-ass operations/programmer/manager 'service worker', but I'm also an awesome simulation/modeling expert and, yes, a brave and bold science writer. Perhaps the lesson to walk away from my choices is that, regardless of which path you choose in science, you're never closing off options, only opening them.

Alex, the daytime astronomer

The Daytime Astronomer, Tues&Fri here, via RSS feed, and twitter @skyday

Comments

Hank's picture
I think you are spot on.   There used to be a thought that said people were stupid - 'deficit thinking' - but one thing the Internet and more scientists writing directly to the public has done is to make people a lot smarter.   There are still people in media, who insist on this because they were taught, believing that articles have to be 400 words max and written for 8th graders.

Well, maybe, every one of us here were darn smart 8th graders, but that thinking was invented at a time when a lot of intelligent people dropped out of school for a variety of reasons - 8th grade then meant something much different than it does today.

But do journalists at NASA do journalism, in the way we think of it, or do they write press releases?

Hank Campbell | 05/01/09 | 11:27 AM
Stephanie Pulford's picture
Alex, I can't wait to hear more about your decision.  How do you transition from research to writing within NASA?  Do you take a break and go to journalism school, or do you simply apply with a portfolio of clips?

Stephanie Pulford | 05/01/09 | 12:20 PM
antunes's picture
I'm not taking the Journalism school route... at the recent DCSWA panel, both Lynn Adrine and Paul Thacker noted it'd be criminal for them to teach at J. school when there's no journalism jobs.  I have clips, and I have my work here at SBing, and I've worked the research end of 3 branches of astronomy (stellar, galactic and solar).

I think I need to see what luck I get hunting, before I can speak with any credence on 'how to transition'!?!  Or as put by another:

It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
Ashleigh Brilliant

Alex

Alex Antunes | 05/01/09 | 12:47 PM
Hank's picture
I know people won't like hearing it but I generally think journalism school and music school are things you just don't need.   If a student is disciplined enough to take the time they spent in those classes and instead practice their craft, they're going to be better off.    No one gets a job at a symphony because they went to Julliard, they have to audition like everyone else and the best audition wins.

Likewise a journalism degree isn't going to give a science writer a benefit; creative reflex and rhetorical ability in complex subjects will save the day.

Hank Campbell | 05/01/09 | 15:34 PM
antunes's picture
I'd also argue that practice is the primary thing a writer needs.  Not classes (past college English), not workshops, not self-help books-- just sitting and writing and getting feedback and delivering, article by article by article.

If only someone could set up a website that provided a critical audience for skilled parties who wish to hone their science writing.  Maybe make it pay them according to how many readers they get, so there's a fiscal reward for better writing.  You could use the word 'blogging' in the title, to keep it connected with current social media.  A blogging site about scientific stuff.  Hmm... but what would you name it?

Alex


Alex Antunes | 05/01/09 | 17:00 PM
logicman's picture
If only someone could set up a website that provided a critical audience for skilled parties who wish to hone their science writing. 

Maybe make it pay them according to how many readers they get, so there's a fiscal reward for better writing.  You could use the word 'blogging' in the title, to keep it connected with current social media.  A blogging site about scientific stuff.  Hmm... but what would you name it?

What a brilliant idea!  Somebody should run with that one. It's gold, I tell you!





Patrick Lockerby | 05/22/09 | 12:34 PM

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