Infinite Careers is a collaboration between Career Services (CAPD) and the MIT Alumni Association to explore career paths and the non-linearity of career decision making. Read profiles of alumni with unique career paths, hear their stories and network at a series of talks.
Education
- MIT – Bachelor Of Science, 21W – Writing & Humanistic Studies
- University of Wisconsin-Madison – Master of Arts, Journalism,
Bio
Bill Andrews is an award-winning science journalist with more than 15 years of experience writing and editing features, news stories, videos, and podcasts. For five years, he’s been a senior editor at Quanta Magazine, part of the staff that won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting, where he leads the coverage of theoretical computer science. Before that, he spent seven years at Discover, and he’s also worked at Astronomy magazine, Mayo Clinic, and the Wisconsin State Journal (not to mention The Sports Authority, GameStop, and The Palace Diner).
Bill received his bachelor’s degree in writing at MIT and his master’s in journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And despite his name and appearance, he was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and speaks fluent Spanish. He lives in New York City with his wife, their son, and her cat.
What influenced your choice of undergraduate major? How has it shaped your career choices and professional ability?
I was definitely in the minority getting a writing degree at MIT, but once I realized that’s what I wanted to do for a living, it just made the most sense to focus on getting those skills. I use many of the lessons I learned about writing and editing every day, and the work ethic I developed just attending MIT is also extremely valuable in journalism. In terms of career choices, I feel like the MIT name definitely helped me stand out when applying for jobs, and using my MIT alum address has helped getting scientists to respond to interview requests.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?
Anytime I can see that the work I’m a part of has made a difference. Sometimes that means getting letters from readers telling us how much a story meant to them, or how they finally learned a concept they’d always struggled with. Other times that means hearing from students (and former students) who were inspired to enter a scientific discipline because of our coverage. Occasionally, I’ve also seen a story make a difference on a larger scale, influencing policy or public opinion in a larger way. But even when a story seemingly does none of these, and seems to fade into the ether, it’s still rewarding simply seeing a polished bit of published writing. Every week, I have a new little success story I can point to.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career? How have you managed or overcome it?
You don’t go into journalism to make money, and it can be hard (especially at first) seeing your former classmates achieve a kind of financial success that feels impossible. But you can take comfort in the value of the work you do, the difference you’re making in the world and the satisfaction that comes from doing anything difficult. It’s also not impossible to find steady, well-paying work, if you’re willing to put in the time, so while there aren’t many rich journalists, there aren’t too many starving ones either.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
If you want to be a writer, you need to practice two things: writing and reading. Take every opportunity you can to develop your writing style, your voice, your approach to reporting and interviewing — but also, make sure you’re reading as much as possible, learning from what works and figuring out why the rest doesn’t.
What career advice do you have for current MIT students, or those interested in entering your industry?
Make sure you’re working on your skills as much as you can: Become the best writer and the best reader you can. But also, do your best to learn how the industry works so you can actually get paid for these skills. This means looking for internships, developing networks, even becoming a part of the community (via resources like the National Association of Science Writers and The Open Notebook).
Do you have any tips for networking or job searching for current students and recent graduates?
Never be afraid to write to a writer or editor to ask for advice. If they’re too busy to write back, they won’t, but they won’t begrudge you the ask — and you never know who will respond. If you’re actually looking to start working in the field, you’ll need to have examples of published writing (called clips) you can send along, to prove that you can actually do it. And as in any writing-based career, all forms of communication are mini-auditions, so make sure you’re avoiding typos and grammar issues in your cover letter, email, Slack messages, etc.
What do you like to do outside of work for fun/relaxation/inspiration?
I’ve always liked theater, so living within walking distance of Broadway has been a lot of fun (if not great for my bank account). I also like to read, play video games, watch movies, travel to destinations both exotic and familiar, and just generally hang out with my wife and son, who are pretty cool.
Last edited: August 2024
