Judith Stitt

Current

• Researcher at The Redfield Group
• Principal at TekEDIT (Sole Proprietorship)

Past

• Senior Staff Editor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Communications Manager, Senior Staff Writer at MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program
• Technical Writer/Editor at MIT Ceramics Processing Research Laboratory

• Project Director < Editor < Writer at ANCO/Boston

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Education

• Allegheny College

Connections

145 connections

Industry

Writing and Editing

Websites

• My Website

Judith Stitt’s Summary

Have worked in technical communications for over 25 years, 17 years while on staff at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (until 2002).

From June 2006 to June 2008, I served on the Council of the Boston Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication. In 2004, I founded a Technical Editing special interest group for the Chapter and coordinated well-attended monthly meetings for the membership from October 2004 through May 2006.

At MIT in 1984, I served as the first editor for the Ceramics Processing Research Laboratory, then was invited to oversee communications during the startup phase of the Institute's Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) Program, whose management awarded me a plaque in appreciation for my contributions.

As senior staff editor for the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change and the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, my initiatives helped boost annual media coverage from one to 85 mentions in the press, including the New York Times and other national publications.

Prior to working at MIT, I served as a technical and instructional systems writer and project director at ANCO/Boston after earning a B.S. degree in chemistry from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Judith Stitt’s Specialties:

Substantive edits, e.g., noticing error in equation after 3 Sr MIT faculty +2 PhD students approved manuscript. Favorites: nanomfg ctr proposal, devel. eng rept (undersea riser cables), papers: atmospheric chem, game theory, business cases.
Ideas / tapping subconscious / out-of-box thinking: only one in class able to solve a problem in hi schl & college (~10x: English lit -> physics)...esp.: only one to solve a differential equations take-home quiz problem (and done in my sleep)

Judith Stitt’s Experience

• Researcher

  The Redfield Group

  (Writing and Editing industry)

  2007 — Present (1 year)

• Principal

  TekEDIT (Sole Proprietorship)

  (Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Writing and Editing industry)

  October 2001 — Present (7 years 2 months)

  TekEDIT specializes in editorial services for researchers in scientific, engineering, and other technical fields, helping to communicate information precisely as intended. I do substantive and copy editing, condensing, fact-checking, research, correspondence, editorial proofreading of technical, scientific, scholarly/academic, trade, and government documents including proposals, reports, journal articles, white papers, case studies, brochures, newsletters, book manuscripts, manuals, web content, and working papers.

• Senior Staff Editor

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  (Educational Institution; 10,001 or more employees; Writing and Editing industry)

  1997 — 2002 (5 years)

  Edited international researchers’ technical papers, CEEPR brochures, and two books. Oversaw Reprint Series production, including copyright permissions administration and updating of web pages. Served as media liaison, handled press releases. My initiatives helped attract reporters’ attention, contributing to an increase in documented Joint Program and CEEPR mentions in the press (including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist) of 85x since I joined the programs—to “as much as we can handle,” one faculty director said. Redesigned and produced one-page Policy Notes.

• Communications Manager, Senior Staff Writer

  MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program

  (Educational Institution; 10,001 or more employees; Higher Education industry)

  January 1989 — May 1997 (8 years 5 months)

  Planned, wrote, and produced brochures, flyers, newsletters, articles, ads, and administrative pieces for this educational and research partnership of the Engineering and Sloan Schools with 15 companies. Oversaw annual budget of ~$150K, collaborating with faculty, industry, and media, and supervising assistants; oversaw working papers and thesis CD-ROM production, and professional photographers; photographed some events. Received staff service award.

• Technical Writer/Editor

  MIT Ceramics Processing Research Laboratory

  (Educational Institution; 10,001 or more employees; Higher Education industry)

  1984 — 1989 (5 years)

  Managed production of lab publications, supervising up to three people editing and processing up to 30 researchers’ materials, including journal articles, progress reports, conference papers (many written by visiting scientists in English as a second language), and contract proposals. Wrote, designed, and managed production of promotional brochures; principally authored a trade journal article.

• Project Director < Editor < Writer

  ANCO/Boston

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Public Relations and Communications industry)

  1978 — 1984 (6 years)

  Managed production of texts, filmstrips. Negotiated with recording studios, film processing labs, voice talent, models, and agencies on project budgets up to $40K. Wrote and edited technical reports, manuals, and instructional programs, helped develop job proposals and marketing plans; did copy photography and storyboard illustration. Projects included managerial and development engineering reports; marketing/sales management, training, and orientation texts, filmstrips, and support literature; operator/maintenance/diagnostic manuals; and product descriptions, for Cabot; Ingersoll-Rand; Midland Ross; NEC; Pitney Bowes; Scott, Foresman; Simplex; Sweetheart Plastics; and Teledyne.

Judith Stitt’s Education

• Allegheny College

  BS, Chemistry, 1973 — 1977

  Activities and Societies:

  Allegheny Christian Organization and community volunteer work

Additional Information

Judith Stitt’s Websites:

• My Website

Judith Stitt’s Interests:

Subjects: Sciences, engineering, computers and technology, mathematics, business/management/manufacturing (incl. nanoscale), economics, policy, environmental issues. Special interests: physics (incl. nonlocal energy / quantum hologram), spirit/science interface, synchronicity, consciousness/mind/body, health, nutrition (esp. vegetarian), medicine, inspirational works, history, negotiation, finance, law.

Judith Stitt’s Groups:

Editorial Freelancers Association, Society for Technical Communication (Council of Boston Chapter), Cambridge Academic Editors Network, LFM, Boston Cash Flow 101, Monthly Mentor, FUPC, Boston Entrepreneurs Group

Judith Stitt’s Honors:

* Valedictorian of high school class
* National Honor Society
* Plaque of appreciation for work as manager/director of communications for MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing Program during its first eight years

Judith Stitt’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch