Nancy Shute Named Editor in Chief of Science News
Washington, D.C. (December 20, 2017) — The Society for Science & the Public today named Nancy Shute editor in chief of Science News. As Science News approaches its centennial year of publication, Shute will be charged with leading the Science News newsroom, overseeing its digital transformation and expanding its membership base.
Shute is a science journalist in print, digital and broadcast, and a lecturer and trainer in science writing and multimedia journalism. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers, the United States’ largest and oldest science writing membership organization.
Before joining Science News, Shute was cohost of NPR’s health blog, Shots, and contributed news coverage and radio features to NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition. She also has written for national publications, including National Geographic and Scientific American.
While serving as assistant managing editor at U.S. News & World Report, Shute led the magazine’s award-winning coverage of science and technology. As a senior writer for U.S. News, she led group investigations and reporting projects, and authored dozens of cover stories.
Shute trains journalists and scientists in the uses of social media and other new media technologies. She taught science writing at Johns Hopkins University’s Advanced Academic Programs. Additionally, Shute has been a science writer in residence at the University of Wisconsin, and guest lecturer at major universities, including Columbia, NYU, the University of Maryland, Georgetown and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
“We’re thrilled to have a talented journalist like Nancy join Science News as our new editor in chief,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “Shute’s leadership in science and health journalism, in addition to her creativity, will ensure she is successful in this new role. I am confident Science News will prosper in the years to come with Nancy at the helm.”
“I have long admired Science News’ sophisticated coverage of science, medicine and technology,” Shute said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with these outstanding journalists in building a bright future for Science News.”
Shute graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s in English literature and received a master’s from Yale Law School. As a Fulbright Scholar, she founded the first bilingual independent newspaper in Kamchatka, Russia. In 2010, she was a Knight Foundation fellow in entrepreneurial journalism.
She will join the Science News team on Feb. 1, 2018.
About Science News
Science News has been published by Society for Science & the Public since 1922. It offers readers bold, contemporary, award-winning editorial content, detailed imagery, a blog network, and access to archives going back to 1924. Concise, current, and comprehensive, the magazine provides an approachable overview from all fields and applications of science and technology.
For more information about Science News, please visit sciencenews.org or follow on Facebook and Twitter.
About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazines, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).