The Open Notebook

Received a National Award Great news from Nepal! I am thrilled to share that I have been honored with this year’s Science and Technology Journalism Award from the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the country’s highest governmental research institution. While this recognition means a lot to me personally, I am even more overjoyed by what it represents for my parents. Science journalism is still in its infancy in Nepal, and I have often struggled to explain the nature of my work. Even when I’ve tried, many have made vague assumptions, with some questioning its very necessity: Why does it matter? It matters because the world needs to hear the stories of resilient scientists and researchers who produce high-quality work despite operating in low-resource environments. It matters because reporting on these challenges in top journals and magazines can help foster support systems. And it matters because small Himalayan countries like Nepal are grappling with enormous challenges, especially from climate change, and their voices need to be heard. I want to reflect on the stories I’ve been fortunate to share about Nepal: • The Xylom: Thank you, Alex Ip, for trusting a rookie writer to dive into important stories. I’ve written narrative-style essays about fieldwork with team at Greenhood Nepal, Laxman Khanal, PhD’s efforts to highlight the uniqueness of Assamese monkeys, and more. https://lnkd.in/dPHmz_fu • Dialogue Earth: I documented stories about how new genomics tools are transforming conservation management in Nepal. https://lnkd.in/d2qFZgRw • Scientific American: With Sarah Lewin Frasier, Dean Visser, and their team, I reported on the declining state of the Pyramid Lab. https://lnkd.in/dXNTJsX3 • Nature Portfolio: I’m especially grateful to Kendall Powell, who encouraged me to pitch uplifting stories about researchers in Nepal. Together, we’ve spotlighted the incredible work of researchers including Kumar Paudel, Basant Giri, Aashish Jha and others from the Global South. https://lnkd.in/dTmdp2VS • Business Insider: Alongside Jessica Orwig, I reported on surprising cooling trends observed near Mt. Everest. • Science Magazine: Recently, with Michael Price and his team, I wrote about how Himalayan tree-lines are responding to climate change. https://lnkd.in/eiqxaiyF Thank you Siri Carpenter for your support from the start. I hope this recognition inspires young minds in Nepal to pursue science journalism. Science shapes our daily lives, and by highlighting its role, we can encourage society to embrace research, logic, and evidence-based thinking rather than succumbing to superstition. Here are my proud parents

Received a National Award Great news from Nepal! I am thrilled to share that I have been honored with this year’s Science and Technology Journalism Award from the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the country’s highest governmental research institution. While this recognition means a lot to me personally, I am even more overjoyed by what it represents for my parents. Science journalism is still in its infancy in Nepal, and I have often struggled to explain the nature of my work. Even when I’ve tried, many have made vague assumptions, with some questioning its very necessity: Why does it matter? It matters because the world needs to hear the stories of resilient scientists and researchers who produce high-quality work despite operating in low-resource environments. It matters because reporting on these challenges in top journals and magazines can help foster support systems. And it matters because small Himalayan countries like Nepal are grappling with enormous challenges, especially from climate change, and their voices need to be heard. I want to reflect on the stories I’ve been fortunate to share about Nepal: • The Xylom: Thank you, Alex Ip, for trusting a rookie writer to dive into important stories. I’ve written narrative-style essays about fieldwork with team at Greenhood Nepal, Laxman Khanal, PhD’s efforts to highlight the uniqueness of Assamese monkeys, and more. https://lnkd.in/dPHmz_fu • Dialogue Earth: I documented stories about how new genomics tools are transforming conservation management in Nepal. https://lnkd.in/d2qFZgRw • Scientific American: With Sarah Lewin Frasier, Dean Visser, and their team, I reported on the declining state of the Pyramid Lab. https://lnkd.in/dXNTJsX3 • Nature Portfolio: I’m especially grateful to Kendall Powell, who encouraged me to pitch uplifting stories about researchers in Nepal. Together, we’ve spotlighted the incredible work of researchers including Kumar Paudel, Basant Giri, Aashish Jha and others from the Global South. https://lnkd.in/dTmdp2VS • Business Insider: Alongside Jessica Orwig, I reported on surprising cooling trends observed near Mt. Everest. • Science Magazine: Recently, with Michael Price and his team, I wrote about how Himalayan tree-lines are responding to climate change. https://lnkd.in/eiqxaiyF Thank you Siri Carpenter for your support from the start. I hope this recognition inspires young minds in Nepal to pursue science journalism. Science shapes our daily lives, and by highlighting its role, we can encourage society to embrace research, logic, and evidence-based thinking rather than succumbing to superstition. Here are my proud parents

"Siloing science journalism is dangerous because it leaves the public vulnerable to misinformation. It undermines journalism’s ability to put global crises into context and make them meaningful at the local level." https://lnkd.in/ggUwwN45