Category Archives: individualism

Making Memories

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

Exploring how we invent stories—and then stick to them—confounds journalists and scientists alike: how can we separate fictions from fact? I am keenly interested in how we make decisions—especially decisions built on information we gather from media that affect how … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, framing, health, Indian, individualism, journalism, neuroscience, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

I’m Not a Monkey

Posted on March 10, 2013 by

There’s a delicate balance between teaching and learning; between giving instruction and taking over the task. And it takes a nimble soul to figure out when to let someone falter or fail. A student sent an email recently to make … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, framing, individualism, native american, science, science communication, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nit-picking Scientific American

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

Excited to crack open my first issue of Scientific American. My colleagues in the science writing and science information fields have recommended the magazine to me. So, after receiving a bonus from the web-based superstore Amazon, I traded points for … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, health, human origin, individualism, journalism, medicine, Native Science, neuroscience, news bias, risk, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Violence is Persuasive

Posted on January 31, 2013 by

I was glad to turn on the radio and hear Gabrielle Giffords has weighed in on the gun issue currently consuming news reports in North America. Giffords, a Democratic congresswoman, was shot in the head at close range on January … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, ethics, framing, individualism, journalism, neuroscience, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Zen of Science

Posted on January 8, 2013 by

In class we talk about bias. I’ve spent more time talking about bias in classrooms than I did as a full-time writer and editor. As a working journalist, we never talked about bias—we just did our job of reporting. Fairly. … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, framing, Indian, individualism, journalism, native american, Native Science, writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transforming Authenticity

Posted on November 23, 2012 by

What is authenticity? One of my Osage relatives said that when he was being instructed in dance he asked his elder over and over again if he was doing it correctly. “Is this right?” Finally the elder looked my relative … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, cinema, Geronimo, Indian, individualism, journalism, native american, Native Science, Osage | Tagged , | 4 Comments

In Sandy’s Wake the Best Survives

Posted on November 13, 2012 by

I promised myself that during Native American Heritage Month I would attend to life through a native lens. And write about it every day. During the election blitz, my head got filled with visions of projects created under the Roosevelt … Continue reading →

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Telling the Story Indian Style

Posted on November 5, 2012 by

Last week I heard Indian storytellers unfurl their tales when the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association gathered in Portland. I was enlightened and humbled to listen to Native storytellers weave their magic. We heard tales of coyote and raven, Lakota and … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, censorship, community, ethics, Family, individualism, journalism, Lakota, Native Science, Oglala, Osage, salmon, science, science communication | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bizarre Month

Posted on November 1, 2012 by

A bizarre intersection occurs when October 31 greets November 1. We leap from All Hallows Eve to Native American Heritage Month just by turning a page on the calendar. Halloween agitates some of my American Indian brethren. Native regalia aren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, ethics, Family, film, framing, human origin, Indian, individualism, journalism, Kennewick Man, Native Science, repatriation, Thanksgiving, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Use Columbus Day to Confront Stereotypes

Posted on October 4, 2012 by

Monday ushers in Columbus Day, an event that irritates indigenous folks in North America. Particularly vexing is the well-worn trope that Columbus “discovered” the continent. Christopher Columbus offers a convenient target for our wrath but I can think of many … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, community, ethics, Indian, individualism, Native Science, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | 55 Comments