I am a freelance writer and author with specialties in science and environment. I am the co-author of Sorting the Beef from the Bull: The Science of Food Fraud Forensics [Bloomsbury, 2016], author of Best Before [Bloomsbury, 2018] Meet Your Bacteria [Octopus, 2018] and other titles. My articles have appeared in The Observer, New Scientist, The Walrus, The Wallstreet Journal, and other newspapers and magazines in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia.
The scientist
Before writing professionally, I worked as a biologist in some of the most remote and beautiful places in the world. I walked among the grizzlies and wild salmon of Canada’s west coast and then moved to Australia where I explored the isolated coral cays east of the Great Barrier Reef. It was in these wild and challenging landscapes, somewhere between counting fish and tinkering with outboard engines, that I discovered a love of storytelling. I wanted to engage people, whether it was presenting the latest scientific evidence to policy-makers or telling school children what it feels like to walk in the footsteps of a grizzly bear.
The pond dweller
When I need to refuel, I return to nature. I always have. My childhood was spent wading in ponds after frogs and unsuspecting turtles. It’s what inspired me to become a biologist and work in conservation. It’s what continues to inspire me today to seek out new adventures with my family and friends.
The artist
When I find time and space, I try and dabble in some art too. I’ve managed to convince my publisher to include the odd doodle, which has been deeply satisfying, so you might see some of these works scattered throughout these pages.
The details
If you want all the details, please have a look at my cv, which includes what I do when I’m not writing.
