Jennifer Welsh
Science Writer and Editor
I’m a science-focused digital communicator. By working directly with scientists and health professionals, I aim to accurately convey nuggets of novel biomedical research through a big-picture lens — providing context and clarity to work that on its own can often be confusing and complicated.
I create press releases and blogs about new scientific research, obituaries for scientists and doctors, and Q&As with academics for major universities and other clients. I also write and edit bespoke branded content, web copy, and content marketing articles for hospitals and other institutions.
I honed my science communication skills through a decade of writing and editing science content for the lay public on popular websites. Through my management experience and editorial strategy work, I’ve developed a knack for building teams, launching new things, and making significant transformations happen.
See my detailed work history in my online resume.
I’m currently open to fostering new client relationships with academic institutions and research hospitals. Get in touch using the form below if you’re interested in working together.
My current focus is clients within the academic and hospital spheres in need of communications content and web copy. I’m also actively working with content marketing agencies in writer and managing editor roles.
In my freelance career, I write and edit science-focused communication content for various clients, including companies, universities, and hospitals.
As Editor in Chief at WonderHowTo, a network of tech and science-related blogs, I led content strategy for new topic areas and revamped legacy SEO-focused verticals.
As senior editor for Business Insider, I launched the science vertical and helped launch Tech Insider. At BI I spent years line editing content and developing and implementing a long-term editorial vision.
My staff and internship experiences span a broad swath of new media. I interned at the WIRED Science blog, The Scientist, Discover Magazine blogs, and LiveScience before I joined the LiveScience team full-time.
To launch my career as a science writer and editor I attended the University of California, Santa Cruz’s science communication program.
I have experience in the startup world, beginning my career working for a fledgling biotechnology company in San Francisco. My focus was on running the cell culture lab and performing preliminary toxicity testing on antiviral drugs.
I have a BS in biological sciences from the University of Notre Dame. I spent time in academic cancer research labs and my classwork was focused on virology.
COMMUNICATIONS
Research-related press releases, blogs, Q&As, and other articles for academic and research institutions.
COPYWRITING & EDITING
Copywriting and editing of content for hospitals, including clinic pages, conditions pages, provider bios, and other web content.
CONTENT MARKETING
Branded marketing content for companies and other institutions.
CONTENT STRATEGY
Managing content strategy and production for clients.
The term 'rockstar' is overused, so call Jennifer a rock demigod. Not only did I rely on her domain expertise for a forever-shifting content project for a Fortune 500 life sciences company, I deferred to her on how to represent extraordinarily complex biological processes in visual form, and her perspective greatly informed our design team's approaches.
Whether the final deliverable was an article, a brochure or an infographic, Jennifer was collaborative, knowledgeable, patient and one HELL of a hard worker.
I had the pleasure of managing Jennifer during her time as WonderHowTo's Editor in Chief. In truth, she wore several hats, helping to manage not just our entire Editorial staff and direction, but also much of our marketing, syndication, strategic partnerships, and even some of our monetization.
Jen is always up for a challenge, is punctual, very well organized, and can cut through noise to help get to a decision better than just about anyone. She was a valuable member of our team where she helped make everyone better. Jennifer will excel in and elevate whatever organization is lucky enough to hire her.
Jen is one of the rare leaders who can walk the fine line of pushing her underlings to do their best, most productive work, while still being a friend, confidant and advocate in the office. She is a master in efficiency and a workhorse, and anyone who hires her would be lucky to have her.
Among the more than 200 graduate students I have mentored in the UC Santa Cruz science writing program as director and lecturer, Jennifer has had one of the most entrepreneurial careers... I strongly recommend her for jobs that place a high value on imagination, speed, and a sharp sense of what audiences want to read and learn at any given time.