Cultures, a magazine at the intersection of science and society
I edited 9 issues of Cultures Magazine, a quarterly print and digital publication by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). In a small team of four, we produced eye-catching issues on disparities in STEM, climate change, the human microbiome, our first-ever kids issue, and more. I interviewed leaders such as Jane Goodall, James Hansen, and U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier. I also co-produced a mini-documentary on antimicrobial resistance in the Danish pork industry, introducing a multimedia component to the magazine.
The process
As a team, we dreamt up each issue and then executed it from start to finish, including outreach to authors, editing and interviewing, distribution, and promotion. We closely managed design and print vendors and budgets throughout the process.
What I learned
Cultures was distributed to tens of thousands of readers, and quickly became popular among ASM members. Why?
- Creative, well-designed media is powerful. It’s an unfortunate misconception that scientists don’t care about good design.
- Cultures proved the demand for bringing diverse voices together on a common platform.
- Cultures served as a vehicle for thought leadership around timely topics, sparking important conversations and forging a network of contributors.
What I can apply to your program, project, or campaign
- Experience producing high-quality print and digital publications from start to finish
- Editing and interviewing skills
- Experience creating and managing publication production processes, meeting deadlines, and managing vendors and budgets
- A network within the science community and knowledge of hot topics