“I realized I didn’t want my career in chemistry to take the traditional path.”
Carmen Drahl
October 15, 2012 | Carmen Drahl
Carmen Drahl, senior editor of Chemical and Engineering News, used her Ph.D. in chemistry as a springboard into the career she envisioned for herself. Here she shares some advice that helped her make the decision.
Carmen Drahl made the transition to a writing career while earning a Ph.D. in chemistry at Princeton University. Born and raised in New Jersey, she now lives in Washington, D.C., and reports for Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN). At C&EN she has written about how new medications get their names, explained the science behind a controversial hair-straightening product, and covered the scientific firestorm sparked by an alleged arsenic life form. Her work has been featured on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio, Radio New Zealand’s This Way Up, and elsewhere. Her coverage has also been recognized by MIT’s Knight Science Journalism Tracker.