As a science writer, my interests range from geology to environmental science, oceanography, astronomy, and biology. I write books, book chapters, articles, radio scripts, encyclopedia entries, web content, and – when provoked – the occasional letter to the editor.
As a science editor, I help to craft scientific proposals, smooth professional manuscripts and theses, and perfect books, book chapters, articles and other writings. I also work as a writing coach to assist students and postdoctoral researchers with their professional writing projects.
As a lesson developer, I use images to educate students, from middle school through undergraduate, on fundamental scientific concepts.
About Me
Dana Desonie, aka The Science Writer, has been a science writer and editor for more than a decade. Working from my home office, I edit large proposals, professional manuscripts and white papers; write books, book chapters, and articles; and develop lessons, all while being actively involved in science education at my children’s schools. Over the years, I have taught geology, oceanography and technical writing for geologists part-time at Arizona State University and other colleges.
I began my career as geologist and oceanographer. For my doctoral and postdoctoral work, I researched the geochemistry and geochronology of oceanic volcanic rocks. In all, I spent about a year on oceanographic expeditions and was delighted to be able to meet ships and work in labs in South America, the South Pacific, Europe, and around the United States. My master’s thesis was on the geologic history of a small island in the Gulf of California, San Esteban, where I had already participated in several archeological survey expeditions. In my gap year between college and grad school, I searched for disseminated gold deposits outside Elko, Nevada. I really love to travel and was fortunate to spend the 2004-2005 academic year in Bristol, UK, writing and editing and enjoying a bit of Europe.
I now live in Phoenix in the shadow of the largest urban park in the country, South Mountain Preserve, with my husband, Miles Orchinik, a professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, our two children, and a miniature Australian Shepherd, Lily.