Seeking new editorial team for Forage: 3 reasons why YOU should become a science blogger

By Forage! co-editor Natalie G. Mueller

SoE is seeking new editors who are passionate about ethnobiology and public enagement to take over editorship of the Forage! blog. As current co-editor, I am ideally positoned to tell you why you should take up blogging about ethnobiology. In the spirit of the medium, I'll keep it concise...

1) Science communication matters. 

In an era when the US government is scrubbing mentions of global climate change from it's agency websites, when 34% of US adults reject the theory of evolution entirely, and when new technologies from genetic engineering to artificial intelligence require informed public debate, we need scientists who can write things that non-scientists can understand and find relevant to their lives. By serving as an editor and contributor to a scientific blog, you can hone your science communication skills. This is a good first step if you plan on making public engagement part of your career, and it's good for humanity and the Earth. Win, win, win!

2) Blogging is a good way to disseminate your research and writing.

As editor of Forage! you have the oppurtunity to write about your research and issues that you are passionate about, and to disseminate your writing to a large audience. Hundreds of people regularly read our blog, and posts are often shared by other groups with large audiences. To take my own experience over the past year as an example, I recently realized that more people have probably read my musings about Christmas trees than all of my scientific papers combined! But seriously, blogging about my research brought it to the attention of a reporter, who wrote a story for the science magazine Ars Technica. That led to several radio interviews, and then to new collaborations that are already enriching my project. Not bad for a few hours of work every month!  

3) It's an opportunity to expand your professional network.

You won't just write about what you're working on, you will also reach out to other ethnobiologists who's research you admire. You'll have the oppurtunity to learn from them and build relationships. You'll also be contributing to the Society of Ethnobiology, so you'll always be informed about members' inspiring research and advoacy. It's really a great gig.

This is a volunteer position that will require approximately 4-8 hours of work per month, depending on whether you are writing a blog entry or editing and posting it for a contributor. I've enjoyed writing and editing for Forage! very much, and if you decide that the scientifc blogging life is for you, I'll be here to get you started.

If you are interested in becoming an editor, please come meet with me on Monday, June 4, 2018 during the SoE joint conference with the Society of Economic Botany in Madison, Wisconsin. The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm in Inn Wisconsin on the 2^nd floor of the Memorial Union. You do not need to be at the meeting to become an editor. Email me at ngmueller@gmail.com if you are interested, but can't make it to the meeting!