Science Storyteller

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.