Nancy K. McGuire, PhD – WordChemist

Albert Einstein sculptureI am a freelance writer/editor for science and engineering publications. I have a a PhD in chemistry, laboratory research experience, and expertise in tailoring scientific and technical information to the needs, interests, and vocabularies of specific audiences. I edit practitioner-written articles to make them come alive for general audiences, and I explain complex concepts in a relevant, engaging, and original way through my own writing.

Science and technology play such a large role in our everyday lives — alternative energy sources, the ways our infrastructure ages, packaging materials that don’t turn into pollutants, the effects of human activities on the global climate — you get the picture. Non-scientists must make important decisions based on a deluge of technical information that isn’t easy to understand or evaluate. I provide the critical link between the scientist and the general audience to make sure the message comes through clearly and accurately.

Specialties: Science writing, verbal and visual communications, substantive and development editing, basic media training. Print and web content management, project management, desktop publishing, social media. Materials science, chemistry, physics, geosciences, nanosciences, engineering, and computational science.

Contact WordChemist for more information.

 

Testimonials

Nancy is an exceptional writer and researcher and I highly recommend her writing and editing services. She has written many articles for inChemistry magazine and is our "go to" person for developing new career descriptions for the ACS College to Career website. I save the most technically challenging assignments for Nancy, knowing that she will provide well-researched, well-written pieces on time and within budget. I love how she can succinctly explain Ph.D. level chemical research to our undergraduates.
Adding Nancy to our publication's editing pool was the best decision we made! Whether editing journalists or scientists, she breathes life into the dullest prose and detangles knotty scientific explanations in a snap. She quickly learns a publication's procedures so that she seamlessly integrates into daily workflows. Nancy can work autonomously, take charge of a project, follow complex directions - she tailors her versatile skillset to whatever your publication needs. She gets work done quickly, efficiently, and with extremely high quality. We increased our publishing rate dramatically, thanks to her work. I highly recommend adding her to your team!
Nancy is an exceptionally talented writer and editor. She is a creative thinker with a gift for original ideas. She expresses those ideas in a clear and thoughtful way and frequently infuses her writing with a delightful sense of humor. She is diligent with assignments, manages her time well and honors her commitments to others. Her insights and perceptions on a host of topics have inspired and challenged me.

From the Blog

Basics of the Six-Meter Commute
Basics of the Six-Meter Commute
March 16, 2020
Now that the coronavirus is all over the news, I'm hearing a lot about companies and employees setting up their telecommuting strategies. A lot of it sounds as though they are trying to rei...
Adapt and Survive
Adapt and Survive
July 20, 2019
The hardiest plants and animals are those that adapt to changes in their environment, and the same applies to companies. Companies that survive in the long term are the ones that are the bes...
How I Do Work-Life Integration
How I Do Work-Life Integration
November 26, 2015
People used to talk about work-life balance, as if they were two separate things. Now they talk about work-life integration, but what they mean is finding ways to infiltrate every hour of e...