Rachel Nowak, Ph.D.
Sage Consultant

Dr Rachel Nowak is an editor and policy analyst based in Melbourne, Australia. Through her work as a scientist, a journalist, and a teacher, Dr. Nowak has acquired an unparalleled breadth of international experience in communications, media and science. She is able to rapidly analyse advances in wide range of scientific disciplines and provide in-depth, accessible reports. She also has long experience in nurturing contacts and building relationships, as well as developing scientific promotional and marketing opportunities.

Born in Bath, England, Dr. Nowak has divided her career between that country, the US, Germany and Australia. She took a Ph.D. in reproductive biology from Leeds University in the 1980s, and published numerous research articles before moving into science journalism. In 1990, she took a MA in writing from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, subsequently working at several US magazines, including Science as senior writer covering biomedicine. In mid-1990s, she returned to Hopkins to teach science journalism; she has also guest-lectured at universities in Australia and the US, and mentored young writers. In 1996, Dr. Nowak joined New Scientist as Biology Features Editor, being promoted to Washington Bureau Chief a year later. In 2000, she moved to Melbourne to become Australasian Editor.

As a journalist, Rachel has covered most major events and controversies in science over the past few decades, including mammalian cloning; “life” on Mars, non-human primate to human organ transplants, and engineered super-virulent viruses. For her coverage of the latter, Rachel won the coveted Association of British Science Writers Award. She has won numerous other awards for journalism.