Science Storyteller
with Aswathi Pacha
Gist
For this episode of Scikonnect, we have with us, Aswathi Pacha. She is a science journalist with The Indian Express. As her Twitter bio points, she was on her way to becoming a scientist, but spacetime warped, making her a science communicator. Aswathi studied B.Sc microbiology and M.Sc Marine Sciences before moving to science journalism. She has about four years of experience with two national newspapers, The Hindu and The Indian Express. Aswathi talks with Scikonnect about her fascinating career as a Science Journalist and discusses her insights into the world of Journalism. Tune in, won’t you?
Transcript
Pragya:
Biopatrika, your very own science communication platform, brings science closer to you in many ways. Today, Scikonnect by Bioptrika welcomes all science enthusiasts to our podcast on science journalism. I, Pragya Gupta, my cohost Nikhil Kumar Tulsian and our budding talent Ramya have been given the opportunity to speak to a science lover turned science storyteller. Ms. Ashwati Patcha about the art of communicating science to the general public.
Nikhil:
Hi, everyone. We have the pleasure of talking to Aswathi Pacha. She is a science journalist with the Indian Express currently. As a Twitter bio Points, she was on her way to becoming an award-winning scientist but then transitioned into a science communicator. Aswathi, fascinated by tiny microbes, pursued her BSc in microbiology and then her Masters in Marine Sciences. Before turning to science journalism. She has over four years of experience with two national newspapers, the Hindu and the Indian Express. Ashwathi, from the great career shift you had from academia to journalism and from the depth of the ocean to the depth of another ocean, the journalism can you tell a bit about yourself?
Aswathi:
Okay. So as you said, I really wanted to be an award-winning scientist. So after my MSc, I joined as a junior research fellow at Pondicherry University. I was planning to write the entrance exam for a Ph.D. I did write NET and failed. And then, also I was unsure what I wanted, so I just kept writing all these entrance exams. I even wrote a Kerla Public Service Commission exam. So it was at that point, one of my colleagues came to me and said, there is this opportunity for science journalism. That was the first time I’d ever heard that word. She told me. It’s organized by Isa Pony and British Council, together they were conducting it. So I just applied. And by chance I got selected and they were like two levels of workshops. So we went to Pune, there were these trainers and they told us everything, all kinds of they thought us from the beginning, like how to read a research paper, how to break it down, how to understand your audience, how to bring storytelling. So all these together. That was when I first heard about science journalism. I knew what exactly it is. And after the workshop, they had asked us if you would like to take this as a career or intern somewhere and explore more. And since I was at that point where I was unsure what I wanted, I was like, okay, let’s give this a try, explore alternate career options. I interned at the Hindu for almost nine months, and then I joined as a sub-editor there. And after almost four years now I moved to Indian Express. This was my great career shift.
Nikhil:
That is great, Aswathi. As a scientist myself, we think of just publications and publications, of manuscripts, to the big journals. But at least I personally do not think more of the science journalism as well. But the last two years have made me realize otherwise. It is amazing to have a career shift like this. And at the right time.
Aswathi:
Yeah. I happen to be lucky.
Pragya:
Yeah. So it looks like you had pretty much a conflict in your brain when you’re doing the transition.
Aswathi:
Yeah.
Pragya:
Right after you made that decision, I think internship helped you a lot. I wanted to ask that, how was your experience with the Hindu? Because in the lab, you have different set of challenges, like experiment failing and things not working, reagents not arriving. So what were the challenges you faced in journalism at the Hindu?
Aswathi:
Yes. When I joined, I had absolutely no clue what it was. Apart from that two weeks of workshop I had. So that’s the first time I’m seeing a newsroom. What happens in the editorial team that is such a lively place, different from what your lab is. So yeah, it was intriguing. But then I was lucky to have Dr. Prasad science editor at Hindu help me out. So I remember I would send him five pitches. I’m like, there is this paper. Let’s write about this and he’ll call me to his room and tell me why three of those papers won’t work or he’ll tell me, do you even understand this is a predatory Journal? I’m like, okay, sorry, I don’t look at it. Or do you know when this was published? This is published in 2000, and then he’ll finally narrow it down to one story and he’d be like, okay, talk to the scientist right about this. And then I’ll write and he’ll get back to me with ten other questions. And he’s like, don’t write as a scientist, write as a reporter. Like, tell a story. Imagine you’re telling about this experiment to a child or your mother or someone like that. So have that in mind and write. So it comes back again. Then I again make few changes, goes back to him. And in the beginning, it was difficult. Very difficult. Because what do you think that everyone knows, like, the jargons. So it was difficult dropping them. So anytime I write a word, I still have to put it in bracket and explain what it is. Or try and bring a comparison and explain what I’m trying to explain. So, yeah, those initial days were difficult, but I was lucky to have Dr. Prasad , and after that, it’s been a pretty smooth ride.
Credits
Hosts: Pragya Gupta, Nikhil Tulsian, Ramya
Editing: Samriti Sharma, Nikhil Tulsian, Virender Singh, Vikramsingh Gujar, Shreyansh Tiwari
Social: Charu Gupta, Albertha Joseph-Alexander
Music by Aditya Sutar
Meet the Hosts
Nikhil Tulsian
Dr. Nikhil Tulsian is a postdoctoral researcher whose work is central to understanding infectious diseases, antibody characterization, virus dynamics and regulation. Being a SciKonnect podcast host enables him to fulfill his interest of inculcating the spirit of science in people.
Pragya Gupta
Beside being a passionate stem cell researcher, Pragya Gupta is trained in Indian classical music, enjoys baking, inventive craftwork and learning about different cultures. She is currently doing her PhD at the University of Melbourne in Australia, where she is researching new ways to treat brain cancers.
Valli Kamala Laxmi Ramya Chittoory
Ms. Ramya Chittoory is pursuing a doctoral program at CEITEC, Czech Republic, where she volunteers on the PhD student committee. She is also an active member of the International Student ambassadors’ team for Brno University of Technology and STEMPEERS social media team.
About the SciKonnect podcast
SciKonnect Podcast provides a glimpse of daily life in academia and industry. Our hosts from different countries take you on a riveting, emotional & insightful journey that bares it all on how we do science and how we succeed. These are the stories you ‘want to learn’ rather than ‘had to learn’.
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