David Malakoff, News Writer, Science Magazine

With a B.A. in human ecology and a staff writing position at Science Magazine, David Malakoff informs the scientific community on the decisions of politicians that affect the world of science. In his writing on the state of fisheries, which employ a highly controversial method of regulating the amount of fish available to be caught by commercial fishermen, Malakoff provides the scientific community with a window on Washington’s policy.

Although The Washington Post and ABCnews.com have featured Malakoff’s writing, he feels his work with Science Magazine has been the most challenging and rewarding. Not only is it a steady source of income, but he is also free to choose stories based on their merit in the scientific community. 

"There is a lot of information out there, and it’s my job to synthesize it quickly for a very focused audience,” says Malakoff. With each assignment, Malakoff looks at how governmental policy affects the scientific community. He examines Presidential actions, Congressional bills, and the Supreme Court’s rulings on cases that directly affect the scientific community. 

While reporting on the new policies and proposed actions of the U.S. government, Malakoff also writes profiles of specific scientists and describes how the scientists handle the new laws. Malakoff feels that these “science warriors” make the difference and that they should be showcased as such. For Malakoff, writing about these scientists is the most rewarding part of his work at Science. 

Malakoff has very strong opinions about what makes a strong science article. He feels a good science article must have three parts: a strong science component, an element of controversy, and a service aspect. Malakoff strives to turn difficult and somewhat inaccessible subject matter into an easy read while being able to challenge any professional within the field. 

Outside of his writing duties for Science Magazine, Malakoff also gives speeches at scientific conventions. Malakoff enjoys the challenge that public speaking can bring. He sees it as a way to bring awareness to his subject matter, and he enjoys finding new ways to verbalize his ideas and beliefs. Outside of the personal challenge, he feels that it adds prestige to his publication and raises awareness about developments in the scientific community. 

Malakoff offers this advice to aspiring writers: “Read!” Read everything that you can on the subjects you are interested in and you should become an expert in that field. Once you begin reading work on the subject that interests you, you begin to analyze and dissect the writing. Malakoff suggests that you find out why the pieces were written the way they were and how they communicate their ideas. Once you have discovered how and why an article was written in a particular way, try writing a persuasive counterargument. 

He feels that journalism is a craft that you can teach yourself through practice and patience. Going to the best school and not getting practical experience will not get you a job as a writer; you must have a portfolio of published pieces. Finally, Malakoff says, “This field is about clips, not about credentials.”