In conversation with The Guardian science correspondent, Linda Geddes

Key speaker: Linda Geddes, Science correspondent at The Guardian

Time and date: 5.00pm BST, Thursday 27^th April 2023

Location: AXON Communications, Riverside House, 2 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 9HA

Join us in conversation with Linda Geddes, science correspondent at The Guardian and former news editor, features editor and reporter at New Scientist. As the first in a series of “meet the journalist” sessions spanning science, medical and pharmaceutical industry reporting, Linda will join Carolyn Armstrong, Associate Director at AXON Communications to explore topics such as life as a science journalist, personal interests, tips for pitching news stories to remote working journalists, predictions for trending science topics in 2023 and more! Hosted at AXON Communications’, riverside offices, you’ll have the opportunity to put your own questions to Linda, as well as network with fellow attendees during the post-session drinks reception.

The main meeting will take place 5:00-6:00pm.

With arrival from 4:30pm, followed by drinks and networking opportunities after the session, concluding at 7:30pm.

Session Agenda:

• 5.00pm: Welcome
• 5.05pm: Interview-style session with Linda Geddes, to include: 
  • Life as a science journalist – insights from Linda’s career, key learnings, and topics of personal interest.
  • Best practices for working with media and pitching stories to those working remotely.
  • Predications for trending science topics in 2023.
• 5.45pm – Q&A – followed by drinks and further networking opportunities
• 7.30pm – Session close

Biography: Linda Geddes

Linda Geddes is a Bristol-based journalist writing about biology, medicine and technology. She is currently a science correspondent for The Guardian, and a consultant to Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, writing science explainers for Gavi’s Vaccines Work platform.

Born in Cambridge, Linda graduated from Liverpool University with a first-class degree in cell biology. She spent nine years at New Scientist magazine working as a news editor, features editor and reporter, followed by six years as a freelance contributor to various newspapers and magazines including Nature, BBC Future and The Guardian. She has also presented radio documentaries and podcasts for the BBC, and written two books: Bumpology: The myth-busting pregnancy book for curious parents-to-be, and Chasing The Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds.

Linda has received numerous awards for her journalism, including the Association of British Science Writers’ awards for Best Investigative Journalism. She is married with two children, Matilda and Max.

Awards

• Medical Journalists’ Association Science Explained Award 2017, for “The Complex Circumstances that Defined your Gender” Highly Commended in the 2018 and 2016 awards for “Staying Awake: The surprisingly effective way to treat depression” and “The Big Baby Experiment” 
• Quality in Care Cancer Journalist or Blogger of the Year 2012, for “Underfunded, undertreated”
• Association of British Science Writers Best Investigative Journalist 2011 for “Fallible DNA evidence can mean prison or freedom” and “How DNA evidence creates victims of chance”
• Shortlisted for the Paul Foot Award for Campaigning Journalism 2010 for “Fallible DNA evidence can mean prison or freedom” and “How DNA evidence creates victims of chance”
• BT Information Security Awards Best Privacy Feature and Best Overall Security Feature 2010 for “The pocket spy: will your smartphone rat you out?”
• European School of Oncology Best Cancer Reporter 2009 for “Living with the enemy” and runner-up 2007 for “Cancer therapy:when all else fails”
• Endocrine Society, Health Journalist of the Year 2008 for “Superhuman: what gives elite athletes the edge?”
• Shortlisted for the Press and Periodicals Association’s (PPA’s) Best Writer Award 2012, 2011 and 2009.