Profile of A Practicing Professional

PROFILE OF A PRACTICING PROFESSIONAL
What can you do with a degree in Scientific & Technical Communication while focusing on Environmental Science? BY: JAY KOVACH
Original Interview Date: Oct. 31, 2012
MARY HOFF, MANAGING EDITOR FOR IONE AND MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

MARY HOFF BECAME THE IONE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM'S MANAGING EDITOR IN 2010 AFTER CONTRIBUTING TO A BROAD RANGE OF SCIENCE- AND ENVIRONMENT-RELATED COMMUNICATION EFFORTS AS AN INDEPENDENT WRITER AND EDITOR. SHE HOLDS A B.S. IN ZOOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AND AN M.A. IN MASS COMMUNICATION/SCIENCE COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK INCLUDE BACKPACKING, CANOEING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, RUNNING, READING SHERLOCK HOLMES, BAKING BREAD AND BANTERING. SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE THREE GROWN CHILDRENALL OF WHOM MYSTERIOUSLY ENDED UP MATH MAJORS. IONE. (NOV. 09, 2012). RETRIEVED NOV. 09, 2012 FROM THE IONE STAFF BIOS PAGE:
http://environment.umn.edu/about/ione_bios/staffbios.html#mhoff
Contents:
Appendices serve as documentation of my processes, any recommendations on the improvement of my processes is encouraged and greatly appreciated.
INTERVIEW ESSAY P.1 APPENDIX A FIRST CONTACT ATTEMPT VIA MAIL P.5 APPENDIX B SECOND CONTACT ATTEMPT VIA EMAIL P.6 APPENDIX C INTERVIEW QUESTIONS P.7 APPENDIX D INTERVIEW NOTES P.8 APPENDIX E INTERVIEW NOTES TYPED, OUTLINED, & EXPANDED P.10
What can you do with a degree in Scientific & Technical Communication while focusing on Environmental Science?
PROFILE ON: MARY HOFF, MANAGING EDITOR FOR IONE AND MOMENTUM MAGAZINE
PENNY IN THE AIR

When I looked through the degree requirements for scientific and technical communication and discovered that it had an environmental science sub-plan, I knew I found my major. Every course I read about interested me and I was able to quickly assemble a graduation plan that was filled with material that would be riveting to me. Then I started classes. The more I learned about the field, the more I loved it, but a worry started to build in me. What if my tree-hugger dream of a future career was completely wrong? STC in all the other areas of focus were talked about more than then mine and if the careers werent obvious to spot, someone in class was talking about how to find out more about it. What if I wanted to be more involved, working handson, and doing something less corporate? At one point, a student in one of my classes even made a negative, disparaging remark about doing volunteer work as a way to provide artifacts for a professional portfolio. I felt so scattered, lost, and many times wondered if my system of ethics was askew. My instructors helped me and guided me as much as they could. I dont know who said it, or if the thought just occurred to me, but I just dove deeper into my interests, my passions. I knew where I wanted to go, I just had to trust in myself to find it and almost as soon as I realized that, there was the Institute on the Environment (or IonE), Momentum, and Mary Hoff, their engaging, energetic Managing Editor. For all my anxieties and reservations, meeting Mary turned out to be an experience that I will treasure and remember for many years to come. Sweaty and feeling a little sluggish, I stumbled through introducing myself and small talk, then my brain woke up, did she just offer me espresso? Medicine, this Wordsmith is also a Healer! From that point on, things quickly became comfortable, easy. We sat at a small table in a caf-like setting, our conversation flowing organically. I realized quickly that it wasnt just her receptive presence but our shared passions and interests that connected us.
WHAT IS YOUR JOB TITLE, & WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

Like many careers that fall under the field of STC, as Managing Editor for IonE and Momentum, Hoff has a variety of responsibilities that require the typically high level of adaptability and curiosity in her field of focus. Some of those responsibilities include facilitating interdisciplinary communication, managing content for Momentum, and increasing awareness of important environmental issues. One of those responsibilities in particular, is getting to play gatekeeper. Unlike the somewhat passive sense of accomplishment and making a difference that comes with doing research or other STC careers that tend to work more in the shadows, she actively has a say in what content is given a spotlight. Although the Web Designer works on the website (which is on WordPress), Mary handles its content as well as posting news and event updates on IonEs blog, Eye On Earth.
JAY KOVACH||Page 1 of 11
HOW DOES YOUR JOB RELATE TO SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION?

Just like any other SME, scientists have a specialized language to communicate their specialized knowledge, Hoff translates that. However, she takes care to point out that is not just their words she translates but she also tries to captures their stories. For a moment, Mary and I excitedly got lost on a tangent about TED Talks, the passion that you see in the professionals sharing their knowledge, and the need to capture the essence of that in order to be a good science writer. Then she told me something that struck a chord with me. Stories are what get people interested, what gets them to care. You want to express the facts, the process (in fact, it is part of the job) but it is best received within a relatable story.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR FIELD?

After completing her degree in zoology, Hoff did research in the field for a year, only to find it too narrow. Eventually she would find science writing. Over the years she would experience biomedical writing, editing, grant writing, and other writing related jobs within the nonprofit, academic, and government sectors. It would be two decades as a freelancer before she would get where she is now, where she feels things finally align for her.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

Without missing a beat she asked, Just one thing? If she had to put it simply, it would be making a difference, but Hoffs enthusiasm is confirmation of more before she even begins to elaborate. First, she loves learning, in fact, if money were no object, [she] would go to school indefinitely. Then, she gets to communicate what she has learned to others, the act of teaching helps contribute to making the world a better place while the information itself helps create a more sustainable planet, something Hoff is very passionate about. This is all puzzle solving to her, an opportunity for her to play Sherlock instead of having her eyes glaze over.
WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE AT YOUR JOB? HOW DO YOU HANDLE THESE?
Time, Hoff feels as if there is never enough. There is always something more to read or research, always something more she wishes to write about. Somehow we segued into our personal philosophies, looking back now on what we shared, I see why we made the topic change. We both believe in recognizing a challenge, but not focusing on it, instead we focus on solutions. Over the course of our sharing, Mary and I did recognize a couple challenges that are always major issues and not just in her position, polarization and being reactionary. Avoiding the polarization of issues and being proactive in the workforce can prevent problems and even improve your working environment.
WHAT EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, OR EDUCATION WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR YOUR JOB?
When I got to this question, I actually asked something more along the lines of: do you have any recommendations as far as experience, training, or education and if you had the opportunity to pursue a degree in STC when you were in school, would you? To which she at first replied, Yes and yes. Of all the things we talked about at this point there were three things that resonated as the most insightful and also very reassuring of what I had been doing as part of professional development, something I have been very apprehensive about. One, be a sponge, learn about as much as you can, and not just in your field of focus. Two, be an avid reader not just for the technical skills as a writer or an editor but for the world view it gives you. Third, really absorb, process, and then reflect on the material; let it coalesce, congeal, and reform in new and novel ways.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN AN INTERN? IF SO, HOW DID IT BENEFIT YOU?
Mary right away said yes and then shared a wonderful personal anecdote. When she was in college it was recommended to her that she attend an event for women in communication and even though she was hesitant to go, she attended. It was at this event that she found the internship which ended up leading to a job within a year. That job? Her very first, full-time scientific communication job. Her personal story was enough to convince me, but she stressed that I consider doing one myself; in fact, she recommended I apply for one at IonE/Momentum. You dont have to twist my arm.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE REGARDING A PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO FOR THE JOB MARKET?
Portfolios are highly valuable. Writing samples from work, school, and volunteering are great to have. A diverse portfolio helps show your range and experience in addition to examples of your skills.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE FIELD CHANGING IN THE NEXT DECADE?

Things will go more digital and more electronic at a quicker and quicker pace. In Hoffs opinion, the limitations of the printed word can be frustrating whereas digital has the opportunity to reach people in new and faster ways. The downside of having digital information at any time, on anything, at our fingertips is that it has conditioned our attention spans and impacted the depth of the content presented.
MY CAREER GOAL IS TO HAVE A POSITION THAT INTEGRATES CONCEPTS LIKE SUSTAINABILITY & IMPROVING LIVING STANDARDS, WHAT ADVICE OR THOUGHTS DO YOU HAVE IN REGARDS TO SEEKING OUT MY PROFESSIONAL NICHE?
I also shared with her how hard it had been to find someone within the field to interview and find information on jobs specific to my interests. Again, she brought things back to her earlier recommendations for finding a career like her, but pushed a little deeper. Work harder to get deeper into the content and at applying everything you learn, even if it seems unrelated. Productivity will equal success. And what is success to Mary Hoff, Managing Editor? Success is when what you are called to do and what you are doing align.
PENNY DROPS.
Then it clicked; what all this was for. It is much more complicated than just an interview project or report on what you want to do when you grow up. You are meeting someone who could mentor you, who can provide reassurance and an understanding that only comes from a voice of experience. You also get a view outside of the classroom, quite literally if you are lucky enough to get a full tour of the workplace as I did. To some extent, this interview is what you make it and what the person you interview makes it, but at the very least it provides an invaluable perspective into what may be your future profession.
APPENDIX A:
APPENDIX B:
APPENDIX C:
APPENDIX D:
APPENDIX E:

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PROFILE OF A PRACTICING PROFESSIONAL

MARY HOFF, MANAGING EDITOR FOR IONE AND MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

PENNY IN THE AIR

WHAT IS YOUR JOB TITLE, & WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

HOW DOES YOUR JOB RELATE TO SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION?

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR FIELD?

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FIELD CHANGING IN THE NEXT DECADE?

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