Bethany Brookshire

Bethany Brookshire was a longtime staff writer at Science News Explores and is the author of the book Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. She has a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in philosophy from The College of William and Mary, and a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She was a 2019-2020 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, the winner of the Society for Neuroscience Next Generation Award and the Three Quarks Daily Science Writing Award, among others.

All Stories by Bethany Brookshire

  1. Science & Society

    Eric Chen wins 2014 Intel Science Talent Search

    The Intel Science Talent Search gala on March 11 honored 40 brilliant high school seniors and their research projects. Eric Chen won first place for his computer screening technique that identified new influenza drugs.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Teen finds the ‘shape’ of our beating hearts

    Kevin Lee used math to probe how the shape of a beating heart relates to electrical signals from the brain. He unveiled it at the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Intel STS finalist finds new flu fighters

    Intel Science Talent Search finalist Eric Chen used a computer simulation to narrow down chemical targets to fight influenza. The drugs that he identified could be the next big weapons against flu.

  4. Earth

    Intel STS finalist takes on arsenic poisoning

    Concerned about arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh, Intel Science Talent Search finalist Thabit Pulak invented an affordable filter to help people remove this toxic pollutant from their drinking water.

  5. Waking up teens about cell phones and sleep

    Zarin Rahman was losing sleep, and did her own research to figure out why. She brought her study on sleep and electronic use to the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search.

  6. Earth

    Intel STS finalist brings earthworms to the big time

    Earthworms and charcoal help plants resist infections, according to research by Anne Merrill, a finalist in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search.

  7. Tech

    A 3-D printer prints a better life

    3-D printing technology isn’t just for making toys. High school student Nick Parker is part of a group using their homemade printers to create mechanical hands for people who need them.

  8. Neuroscience on wheels comes to Chicago

    The Think Tank is new science outreach idea. A bright green van drives the streets of Chicago, and bright young neuroscientists bring the inspiration of the brain to students and the public.

  9. Getting on the citizen science train

    Citizen science lets people of all ages and backgrounds contribute data and learn more about the world. All it takes is some scientific inspiration and an Internet connection.

  10. Teachers: ‘Cafés’ offer teens a quick sip of science

    Traditional science cafés reach out to adults, offering research-themed talks in bars. Now teen versions are popping up, complete with activities, pizza and loads of science.

  11. Teachers and Parents: Science activities for the whole family

    The annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting includes Family Science Days, where science outreach groups bring their best demonstrations to get students excited about science.

  12. For Teachers: Designing a virtual energy future

    The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago takes energy education one step further with games and simulations to help students learn about how we power our lives.