Julie A. Reynolds, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of the Practice in Biology and Education
(919) 681-6899 Julie.A.Reynolds@duke.edu
Q: What exactly is Biology Writes?
A: Biology Writes is a new program designed to increase writing productivity, writing self-efficacy, and collegiality related to writing practices through workshops, courses, retreats, writing groups, and one-on-one consultations.
Q: Why did you create Biology Writes?
A: Writing can often feel like lonely drudgery and can exacerbate our sense of isolation, impostor’s syndrome, and perfectionist tendencies. I’ve benefitted so much from programs that support my work as a writer, such as workshops and retreats offered by Duke’s Faculty Write program. I also feel so lucky to have found a supportive writing group; we are celebrating our 13th anniversary next month! Writing is central to the work of biologists and yet many of us feel that we don’t have the time or expertise to write well.
Q: Who would benefit from Biology Writes?
A: Everyone! This program is designed to offer tailored support to meet the needs of all writers in the Duke biology department, including faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates.
Q: How can I participate in Biology Writes?
A: If you are a member of the Duke biology department, you can start by completing this survey to help us understand what support you need to become a more productive, confident, and impactful writer. Then stay tuned to this column to learn how you can participate in workshops, courses, retreats, writing groups, and one-on-one consultations.
Q: You have a PhD in biology, right? How did you become an expert on writing pedagogies?
A: I was one of the first scientists hired by Duke’s Thompson Writing Program to teach first-year writing seminars. Although I had strong writing skills thanks to my liberal arts background, I learned how to teach writing as part of that program. I’ve been teaching writing-intensive courses for 19 years now and, like anything, you get better with practice!
Q: You’ve done a lot of research on writing-to-learn. How did you get started?
A: My students would tell me that they expected my writing assignments to help them improve their writing skills, but that they didn’t expect writing to help them become better scientists. I realized that there wasn’t a lot of good evidence about how writing pedagogies can influence students’ identity, sense of belonging, and conceptual understanding. I’ve been supported by NSF for over a decade to study these issues.
