LAURA
Hello. I am thinking of pursuing a career in science writing, or at least maybe constructing a major in it at my school. Do you know anything about science writing as far as career outlook or advice on how to get more job experience as an undergraduate?
RESPONSE
Depends on what type of science writing you intend to pursue. If it's research, then you need a firm foundational knowledge of whatever field you enter, unless you're some kind of freakishly talented technical writer. If it's general science or just areas that happen to interest you, like something you'd find in Popular Science, then just about any writing degree would couple just fine with your bent. If it's detail or textbook science you're after, then technical writing would be more your line.
Career outlook is outstanding as far as I know. Technology and science is ever evolving and people always want to know about it, so it's one great career to enter. I've been a technical writer/illustrator for twenty-five years, and have no complaints, lol.
I can't imagine your college doesn't offer SOME type of internship program...that would be one avenue to pursue. However, the best thing to do is to network, go around and start asking questions. Set up appointments to interview people at research facilities. We have Battelle here in Columbus - that would be a goldmine for you if you lived here. Then there's private companies who supply equipment and materials to those research facilities. Just ask for the Technical Writer or Documentation Specialist, ask them to lunch sometime, then go with a book full of questions, lol. That is the absolute best way to reap good information and advice. Also, if you've read a good science article or book that really zinged your strings, try to contact the author. Most are pretty darn open and encouraging.
You also might want to contact the Society for Technical Communicators (STC) and see if there's a chapter near you. I haven't renewed my membership for quite a while, but they're always a trove of information.
The most important thing is to have a pretty firm grasp of what you'd like to do. If you're just thinking this is an area you'd like to investigate - it's piqued your interest, but you're unsure exactly what direction to go, then I'd recommend some career or personality testing to sharpen your focus. That will enable you to ask more pointed and useful questions when networking. Otherwise, you'll be aiming at nothing in particular and most likely hit it. Most colleges offer this kind of testing; ask your academic or career counselor.
Good luck with all your endeavors.