Catherine Zandonella

CATHERINE ZANDONELLA

(Current as of 2011)

Catherine Zandonella is a science journalist who covers topics from environmental health and toxicology to biomedical research and technology. As science editor of National Geographic Green Guide since 2002, Zandonella has covered numerous aspects of green living.

A parent of young twins, Zandonella understands that children are far more vulnerable than adults to toxins in our environment. Children are also fascinated by the natural world and are eager to keep the planet as pollution-free as possible. In the “Green Guide for Families,” Zandonella combines her knowledge of environmental toxicology with her own experiences raising eco-conscious kids to create a resource for all parents who want to green their family’s lifestyle.

Zandonella has a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis on environmental toxicology from the University of California, Berkeley. She studied science writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz’s science writing program. She has a Bachelor of Science in pharmacology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Prior to becoming a science writer, Zandonella worked as a research associate in a biotechnology company. This hands-on experience gave her insight into the process of scientific discovery, allowing her to bring a deeper understanding to her coverage of science research.

Zandonella also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, in southern Africa, where she taught high school math and science for two years. The experience of living in a rural village that lacked electricity and paved roads shaped her desire to better the livelihoods of people and improve the planet through her writing.

Zandonella has written numerous articles for New Scientist and Nature magazines and other publications, and for scientific academies and foundations. See her Web site at www.catzan.org for a select list of published articles.

Zandonella is a member of the National Association of Science Writers, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Author’s Guild.

She lives near Princeton, N.J.