Mary Spiro

Current

Baltimore Science News Examiner at Examiner.com
Science Writer/Media Relations at Johns Hopkins University
Various Publications at Freelance Writer

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Past

Editor at University of Maryland, Baltimore
Public Relations Specialist at Carroll Hospital Center
Writer-editor at LifeBridge Health

Staff Reporter at The Manhattan Mercury
Executive Assistant at Manhattan Arts Center
News Announcer, WILL-AM 580 Public Radio at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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3 more...

Education

The Johns Hopkins University
University of Maryland College Park

Recommended

6 people have recommended Mary

Connections

237 connections

Industry

Higher Education

Websites

Mary Spiro’s Summary

I want to spend my days meeting interesting people with interesting ideas and write about them for organizations that will pay me enough to keep a roof over my head and food on the table--that's a pretty simple goal really.

Professionally, I write science news and manage media relations for Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT), a multidisciplinary research center with more than 175 investigators. I also write science news as the Baltimore Science News Examiner for Examiner.com, the web-based citizen journalist arm of Clarity Media Group. I like to use social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin to promote INBT news, as well as my own personal writing endeavors, and to connect with like-minded science writers and organizations across the country.

Through these tools, I have connected with people and entities interested in nanobiotechnology research; interacted with science writers and journalists, both professionally and personally; and I am beginning to position INBT and myself as a trusted authority for important scientific research news. My ultimate goal with social networking is to build a critical mass of “followers” and “friends” devoted to reporting and advancing ideas about science, and in particular nanobiotechnology.

Mary Spiro’s Specialties:

Science writing, general public relations, marketing writing, publications management.

Mary Spiro’s Experience

Baltimore Science News Examiner

Examiner.com

(Privately Held; Online Media industry)

March 2009 — Present (10 months)

Through my columns at Examiner.com I am trying to improve the scientific literacy of Central Maryland and way, way beyond. I have readers from across the street and across the globe. Plus I have a ton of fun.
Science Writer/Media Relations

Johns Hopkins University

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

July 2007 — Present (2 years 6 months)

I am the writer and media relations contact for the Institute for NanoBioTechnology, a cross-divisional venture supported by the Whiting School of Engineering, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. My job aims to raise the profile of the Institute to both internal and external audiences, respond to media inquiries, write content for web and print publications and whatever else comes my way. The Institute has faculty members across the Hopkins system, including a few at the Applied Physics Lab, all engaging nanotechnology in some way in their research. The primary research areas are therapeutics and diagnostics (clinical), health and the environment (public health), and cellular and molecular dynamics (basic science).
Various Publications

Freelance Writer

(Higher Education industry)

2000 — Present (9 years )
Editor

University of Maryland, Baltimore

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

August 2006 — July 2007 (1 year )

Editing is not my favorite thing. But I did it for about a year here. I consider this my writer's boot camp, because slogging through other people's bad writing ultimately helped me become a better writer. At least, I hope so.
Public Relations Specialist

Carroll Hospital Center

(Non-Profit; Hospital & Health Care industry)

January 2005 — August 2006 (1 year 8 months)

"Can you find me a source for my story at 5 p.m. on a Friday afternoon?" A common inquiry from the local press at this job. Learned a lot about how the local media works but more about how it didn't. Also learned the ins and outs of a small community health care center--fascinating.
Writer-editor

LifeBridge Health

(Non-Profit; Hospital & Health Care industry)

August 2002 — January 2005 (2 years 6 months)

Lots of growth opportunities here. Learned how to navigate through some tough political waters and still get the job done.
Staff Reporter

The Manhattan Mercury

(Newspapers industry)

October 1999 — July 2002 (2 years 10 months)

Everyday was something new, which is just as it should be at a small daily paper. Loved every minute of it but didn't make enough money to live.
Executive Assistant

Manhattan Arts Center

(Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Performing Arts industry)

August 1998 — August 1999 (1 year 1 month)

Administrative Assistant to Executive Director. Editor of City Arts newspaper.
News Announcer, WILL-AM 580 Public Radio

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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

July 1990 — July 1992 (2 years 1 month)

Part-time news announcer for affiliate of National Public Radio.

http://www.will.uiuc.edu/am/default.htm

Mary Spiro’s Education

The Johns Hopkins University

MS , Biotechnology , 2008 — 2010 (expected)

Activities and Societies:

Hopkins Biotech Network; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, science writing instructor
University of Maryland College Park

BS , Journalism, Agronomy , 1982 — 1988

Also attended graduate school in soil microbiology between 1986-88 as a research assistant for J. Scott Angle.

Activities and Societies:

Diamondback-reporter and science editor; WMUC-news editor and deejay; Centreville and Anne Arundel dorms; employee of Art Center, Food Co-op volunteer