Become a FocalPlane correspondent

Posted by FocalPlane, on 17 October 2023

Enthusiastic about science communication and looking for a chance to broaden your writing experience alongside your research activities? FocalPlane, our community site for microscopists, is looking to appoint three scientists as correspondents who will play a key role in developing and writing content over the coming year. In 2023, we have been working with Mariana De Niz and Mai Rahmoon. Mariana has been posting her interview series on Latin American Microscopists, while Mai Rahmoon has been introducing us to microscopy communities from around the world.

As part of a small cohort, you will have the chance to engage with fellow researchers and science communication enthusiasts as you work together to plan and generate fresh content. You will also gain insight into the publishing industry through meetings with our in-house Editors, Community Managers and Science Communications Officer, and receive regular feedback on your writing. You can find a writeup on our workshop on conducting interviews on our sister site, preLights.

We will help raise your profile as a researcher and science communicator, and are also happy to support you by contributing towards conference attendance costs relating to the role, providing reference letters, or in other ways.

You will be expected to contribute around six posts over the course of the year – this could involve creating your own blog series around a theme of your choice, reporting on the latest exciting developments in microscopy, interviewing inspiring scientists, or writing about conferences and other events. We are also open to any other ideas you might have as we would like to shape a programme that both appeals to your interests and benefits the research community.

Interested? Apply here by 20 November 2023

Please note, we are also recruiting correspondents for the Node, so when applying you will have the option of choosing to apply for the Node, FocalPlane or both.

We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity or disability status. We also welcome applicants from a range of geographic locations.

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about the programme at focalplane@biologists.com