Why I became a Science Communicator after years in Academia

Two years ago, I hit a wall. I had a position teaching and researching in a prestigious university. I was mentoring students pursuing masters and PhDs, and I was on track to landing a permanent job. Everything looked perfect until it didn’t anymore.

After my second child was born, I didn’t have the over 50 hours a week that my peers were dedicated to their academic positions. Mornings, evenings, and weekends were exclusively dedicated to my very young children, and I didn’t feel I could keep up with the academic lifestyle anymore.

My productivity started to suffer, and I eventually found myself not enjoying the science that once was my passion and life calling. Depression took over.

It wasn’t an easy or straightforward decision. The idea came and went in waves, but I knew I had to quit my academic career and find another path for myself. But what would I do? I was lost.

I’ve always cared about conservation, so I went on to land a position at a non-profit organization. The work was fulfilling, but it unfortunately didn’t work out. After I became an American citizen, I landed a job in the public sector that I love. For a few months, I thought that that was it, but it was far from over.

Missing the science

Being used to the intellectual stimulation that comes from constantly writing about science or doing research, I needed to find a creative venture for these hours between the time the kids go to bed and I go to bed myself. If there’s something I regret about my childhood, is the hours I spent in front of television screen, so I wanted my wind-down activity to be meaningful to me.

That’s when I found Medium.

At first, I started writing about my mental health struggles, which didn’t make me gain much traction on the platform. After all, we all have problems and little energy to read about others who don’t necessarily offer solutions.

Then, one day, I felt the urge to talk about a science issue that I had been thinking about for a while. I joined a publication relevant to the topic, and I hit submit. That story was immediately boosted and made me well over $100 within a few days. I had a revelation.

I kept submitting my stories to boost-nominating publications, getting boosts. I eventually started my own publication, Fossils et al., dedicated to Paleontology and Evolution, and I became a boost nominator myself.

Creating a Course to Help My Writers

67 boosted stories later, and with a success ratio of over 95%, I think I have so much to say about what makes a boosted story on Medium.

Even more, ever since I started implementing my strategy, I have consistently made hundreds or even thousands of dollars writing on Medium alone.

However, as a boost nominator, there’s nothing I hate more than seeing a potentially amazing story falling short of Medium curation guidelines for missing a few easy-to-fix issues.

To fix this, I started recording videos and writing stories to help my writers, but it was all scattered around many different places. It would be hard for a writer interested in improving their Medium results to find the content that was most relevant to them.

Could I create a course then? Here’s how Publish your First Science Communication Article course was born. By the end of the course, if you follow the outlined steps, I guarantee you will have a boosted article. The course will pay itself within 1 to two stories, if it doesn’t, I will give you your money back. This simple.

So what do you have to lose? Do you want to learn more? Keep reading!

This course will be $9 only until December 25, 2024, 11:59 pm EST. After that, it will go up to $37 until January 15, 2025, $74 until February 15, and up to its full $148 after that.

The course gives you lifetime access to the materials and updates, so grab it before the price goes up!

Keep reading to learn more.

Course Highlights

• Flexible Learning: Work through the course at your own pace with step-by-step guidance.
• Guaranteed Results: Get your course fee back if you don’t earn it from your first article in one month.
• Lifetime Access to The Science Blogger: Continue submitting stories even after the course ends.
• Certificate of Completion: Celebrate your success when your first story is Boosted!

What You’ll Achieve

Course Modules

Module 2: Finding Your Expertise

• Identify topics that align with your skills and passions.
• Choose a niche that captivates your audience.

Module 4: Preparing to Write

• Find a research paper to write about and save outreach articles for reference.
• Read and analyze papers to fully understand and explain the science.

Module 6: Publishing Your Article

• Submit your story to The Science Blogger and work with editors.
• Add effective tags and metadata to maximize reach.
• Navigate the submission process with confidence.

Who Is This Course For?

• Scientists and academics ready to share their expertise with a broader audience.
• STEM enthusiasts looking to enter the world of science communication.
• Anyone passionate about science and curious to explore Medium as a writing platform.

Your Instructor

I’m Sílvia Pineda-Munoz, PhD, a former university professor with years of experience teaching a diverse audience of students at all levels.

I hold a PhD in Biological Sciences, Ecology, and Paleontology and have dedicated my career to making complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging.

After transitioning from academia, I turned my passion into a thriving writing side-hustle career on Medium. Now, I’m here to help you do the same—because science deserves to be shared.

Course Details

• Price: $9 only until December 25, 2024, 11:59 pm EST. After that, it will go up to $37 until January 15, 2025, $74 until February 15, and up to its full $148 after that
• Format: Self-paced with step-by-step instructions and support.
• Duration: Complete the course on your schedule.
• Access: Start anytime and keep lifetime access to the course materials.

How to Join

Click below to enroll and start your journey as a science communicator today.