A Brief History of Leia Judge speaks to past Bluesci contributors about where their careers have taken them and what they have learned along the way Jon Heras
Micheal Marshall
Then | Pictures editor and President (2008–09) Now | Founder and Science Animator at Equinox Graphics
Then | News editor and President (2005–07) Now | Author of The Genesis Quest “I think in a funny way the most lasting thing I did [while at Bluesci] was to change the name of the society. It was originally called Cambridge University Science Productions, but the BlueSci magazine had swiftly become its best-known product, and the difference was confusing, so I went for consistent branding and had the society’s name changed to BlueSci. Start writing or editing now. Student journalism is great experience, particularly if you do it regularly and systematically. Don’t just write the odd thing: write regularly, hit your word counts and your deadlines, and don’t worry if some of the pieces are crap along the way. Don’t take any facts for granted: double-check everything! Newton never had an annus mirabilis, the dinosaur extinction wasn’t 65 million years ago, and dinosaurs aren’t entirely extinct.”
“I decided to try to make my hobby into a job, and though there’s been ups and downs, it’s been creative and rewarding. I have my own business, with employees and really varied and interesting clients, from satellite manufacturers like Airbus, academics in cutting edge science, and commercial science companies like Microsoft Research and pharmaceutical companies. I’m always learning new science, and never bored! I know a little about everything from quantum physics to synthetic biology to space missions. It’s not possible to go from zero to full-time freelance. You’ll need time to learn skills, develop your own style, and create a portfolio that reflects this. Each project, I over delivered and could then use this to fish for better clients. Or better yet, get a job somewhere you can learn best practices, which will save you a lot of headaches and get you where you want to be faster.”
Ian Fyfe
Nick Crumpton
Then | Issue editor (Issue 17) and President (2010) Now | Senior Editor on Nature Reviews Neurology
Then | Writer (2010) and film editor (2011–12) Now | Zoologist and children’s author
“My highlight was definitely being Issue Editor — I put my heart and soul into making the issue the best it could be, and holding it in my hand at the end of the process was super-rewarding! I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now without BlueSci. At the time, it helped me decide that a career in publishing was what I wanted. And the experience was also crucial for securing my jobs. Make the most of the opportunities that BlueSci (or similar student publications) provide to get experience of publishing. Even if you’re interested in editorial, try getting involved in the layout and production because it’s really valuable to know how all the processes fit together. All experience of publishing will be really valuable when you come to apply for jobs.”
2004 First issue published
16
A Brief History of Bluesci
“I was awarded a British science association fellowship at the BBC News website pretty much thanks to my work with Bluesci. This then led directly on to some time working for the BBC Natural History Unit which helped me get a role as a science communicator at the Natural History Museum, London and now — after a jaunt through a couple of postdocs and a position at the Royal Society — I write non-fiction books for children. My career’s been a twisty ride, but one that can be traced back almost directly to my time at BlueSci. Don’t compare yourself to other people working in similar fields, try to write with your own voice, stay open to opportunities you might not have previously considered, and don’t be frightened to pitch your heart out.”
2007 Bluesci Film started
2011 Bluesci Radio established
Lent 2021
