I am happy to announce the winner of our Fall 2012 Reader’s Choice Award – Teresa Lee for her outstanding feature “Manipulative Microbes”.  I had the pleasure of chatting with Teresa over coffee about zombie organisms, sensationalism, crazy cat men.  

SL: Thanks again for chatting with me and congratulations.

TL: Thank you! It’s my pleasure.

SL: So, one of my favorite things about “Manipulative Microbes” was that you draw in the reader with these gruesome examples of microbes leading higher organisms to their demise.  Did you set out to focus on these examples of “zombification”?

TL: Well, the impetus for the story came from a seminar I took with [Professor] Mike Eisen.  I had read about these funguses that prey on ants and make them do crazy things, but in taking the course, I really began to understand how widespread this phenomenon is. So, I definitely wanted the story to include some bits about real-world zombies but I realized I could bring it back and be more personal to the readership.

We’ve had an amazing fall here at the Berkeley Science Review: the latest issue of the magazine is packed with awesome science, and the blog has been steadily rolling out stories of the discoveries happening at Berkeley and around the world. With holidays fast approaching, the blog staff is going to turn the science down from a boil to a simmer for the next few weeks as we spend time with family and friends. This is just the calm before the storm, though! (If you pardon the mixed metaphors.) In January, the BSR blog will be back with the fantastic science content you know and love.

In the meantime, have a safe and happy holiday season!

We’re really excited about the fall issue and fired up to get started on the next installment for spring 2013.  So, seasoned and aspiring science-writers and bloggers alike, please contact us and let us know what you’d like to see in Issue 24!

The guidelines for story pitches, as well as our article styles and formats, can be found below. There are several ways to get involved as a writer for the BSR:

1. Choose your own story and send us a pitch – many of our best stories are thought-up by our authors. Two recommended resources are today.lbl.gov and newscenter.berkeley.edu
2. Pitch a story from our idea list – feel free to take them whichever direction you want.
3. Write for our blog – no pitch needed, just email sciencereviewblog@gmail.com
4. Suggest a story for somebody else to write – no pressure, we’re happy to just hear your ideas.

All proposed topics must have a Berkeley connection — please also check our archive of previous issues to make sure we haven’t published a similar story already in the past several years.

The deadline for pitches and idea submissions is Friday, December 7th. Please email them to sciencereview@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing your ideas and working with you to produce another great BSR!

Click here to get the details!