Professional Development Day 2026

PDCSWA’s signature lineup of professional development sessions is just around the corner. This year’s Professional Development Day will begin early Saturday, May 9, 2026, at George Washington University's Student Center on the 3rd floor. Every spring, more than 100 science reporters, PIOs, editors, producers, and freelancers come together to improve their craft. 

We'll end the day with a happy hour at The Admiral. We look forward to seeing you!

Coffee, breakfast pastries and lunch will be provided. 

We are excited for our slate of programming (more details below the schedule): 

Keynote:

David Michaels, Ph.D., M.P.H., Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental and Public Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University 

Dr. David Michaels is an epidemiologist and professor at George Washington University who will discuss the importance of defending science and share lessons from his career in leading international initiatives to support, protect, and strengthen the health of workers and communities. 

Dr. Michaels served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from 2009 to 2017 and has held various high-level, Senate-confirmed public health positions within the Obama and Clinton administrations. Through his leadership, he has overseen and created programs to protect people from toxic chemicals, infectious diseases,  including HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID, and exposure to hazards from nuclear weapons.

His work primarily focuses on worker safety and health and defending the integrity of the science underpinning our public health and environmental protections. Dr. Michaels has also published a variety of studies, books, and resources in outlets, spanning from The New York Times and The Atlantic to Harvard Business Review, for a variety of audiences. His most recent book is entitled, “The Triumph of Doubt: Dark Money and the Science of Deception.” 

Go Viral or Vanish: Short-form Video for Science Journalists & Communicators

Panelists:

• Sadie Dingfelder (co-facilitator)

• Kasha Patel, Freelance (co-facilitator)

• Auston Graff, Freelance

• Elaine Seward, ACS Reactions

This session will cover best practices for short form video, including hooks, simple visual strategies, and repeatable formats participants can copy. The session includes concrete examples of effective videos, including a “study explainer” format that shows how to turn one new journal article into an engaging 60-second video using screenshots, on-screen text, mini-hooks, and a clear call to action. 

The Resilient Science Writer: Strategies for Career Longevity and Change

Panelists:

• Bethany Brookshire, freelance journalist and book author

• Giuliana Viglione, associate editor, Carbon Brief, and senior editor, The Open Notebook

• Linda Wang, founder of Linda Wang Media

• Ben Stein (Moderator)

In a media ecosystem that demands constant reinvention, science writers are redefining what it means to have a stable career. From navigating layoffs to leaving traditional staff roles, the path forward requires more than just good writing—it demands the ability to pivot.

Join our panel of experts as they share firsthand strategies for:

• Transitioning from staff positions to independent freelancing.

• Launching entrepreneurial ventures and specialized media companies.

• Diversifying income through newsletters, data visualization, and alternative revenue streams.

• Future-proofing your career through strategic networking and upskilling.

Whether you are looking to survive the next round of industry changes or are ready to build your own platform, you’ll walk away with some new resources to help you thrive in our current era of science communication.

Visuals in Science Stories: Best Practices

We’ve all heard that a picture paints a thousand words. These days we have more advanced options for using visuals to jazz up our communications. In this session expert practitioners will share how to paint many thousands of words.

Panelists:

• Michael Newman, Media Relations Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Roshan Patel, Filmmaker Smithsonian National Zoo
• Noelia González, NASA contractor
• Craig Newcomb, Content Creator Virginia Tech
• Jag Bhalla (Moderator)

Science Writing and Communications in 2026: Fostering Trust and Telling Stories that Matter

Join award-winning science writers and communicators break down excellence in their craft. We’ll hear about carving out a beat, focusing and structuring a story, selecting which voices to feature, and editing for clarity, finesse, and trust.

We’ll also hear about measuring success and how these leaders connect with audiences across multiple platforms: digital, print, and broadcast. 

Panelists: 

• Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR Science Correspondent, Author of Transient and Strange 

• Lindsey Leake, Independent Health and Medical Reporter (most recently NBC News Health & Medical Unit, CNN Wellness, Cancer Today) 

• Reyhaneh “Rey” Maktoufi, Science Communication Specialist, Social Science Researcher, National Geographic Explorer

• Jessica Frost, Health and Medical Writer, Senior Communications Specialist (Moderator)