Erin Peterson

Improving Science Education

Erin Peterson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:39:04 +0000

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has been one of the driving forces in improving science education for undergraduate students. It’s offered more than $800 million in grant money to schools during its 23-year history, and as it looks toward the future, changes will help it make it bolder and more sustainable. I wrote a story about some of the ways that the program plans to adapt for the future.

There’s no question that science and scientists will play a critical role in shaping our future as a country, and the HHMI’s work will make a big impact on those who study science.

Read the story here.

Loon-atics

Erin Peterson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:01:38 +0000

Every year, Minnesota Monthly publishes its annual Loonies, in which it skewers most notable antics from Minnesota politicians, celebrities, and regular citizens. Usually I split duties with other writers, but this year I got to write the whole shebang. It’s one of the few times every year that I get to do work as a humor writer, and I relish it.

Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, and Kris Humphries were among the year’s obvious targets, but there are also stories about the exceptionally high cost of certain street signs in Bemidji and one of the most innovative robberies of all time.

Read it here.

Tips for Better Living

Erin Peterson — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:51:45 +0000

Science is always revealing new ways that our habits and actions can improve (or diminish) our health. In this month’s issue of Experience Life, I explain how new research suggests that writing can help conquer stress and sleep improves our nutritional willpower.

I also wrote about the insidious problem of mislabeled seafood and how specific planning techniques can improve your happiness, but you’ll need to pick up the January issue to find out the details on those.

Read the stories here and here.

Senses Sensibility

Erin Peterson — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:43:06 +0000

We might use all of our senses every day, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily give much thought to them. That’s not the case with these Carleton alums, whose work and research requires them to delve deeply into what it means to see, hear, touch, taste, and feel.

For a story for Carleton’s alumni magazine, I talked to experts who explain why some of us don’t like cilantro, why our vision is never as good as we think it is, and how touch alone can heal pain. Their thoughts might make you think differently about how you experience the world.

Read the full story here.

Better Buys for Gift Cards

Erin Peterson — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:16:18 +0000

I started writing about maximizing your gift card dollar a few years ago, and thanks to dramatic changes like Groupon, FourSquare, and smartphone apps, I can easily update the story every year. There are more ways than ever to pay less than face value (or at the very least, boost your buying power).

This story I did for CreditCards.com shares the many ways that you can snare a deal on your gift card—without your recipient guessing that you paid less than face value.

Read more here.

SEA-Worthy

Erin Peterson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:07:21 +0000

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is known for the grants it gives to researchers who are trying to crack the most difficult biomedical puzzles. But it also focuses on giving science students a boost. One of the programs getting a lot of attention these days is their Science Education Alliance (SEA), which is promoting real research for undergraduate students in their very first year.

Thanks to a two-semester course where students isolate and annotate the DNA of a particular type of bacteriophage linked to tuberculosis, students are doing novel, publishable research years before many assumed they would be ready. Instead of reading textbooks and listening to lectures, they’re finding out what real science is—and often deciding to pursue science majors and careers as a result.

Read more here.

Shooting Star

Erin Peterson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:24:23 +0000

A few months ago, I was asked to profile a 40-year-old player WNBA player, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, for St. Edward’s University alumni magazine. It’s impressive enough that she can compete with players half her age these days, but the more remarkable story is how she managed to play record-setting college ball and earn a degree at SEU while raising a toddler. This year, she capped off a great season with the Lynx witha World Championship. McWilliams-Franklin’s life has more amazing twists than a dime store detective novel, and until she writes her autobiography, you can get a glimpse of her remarkable life here.

A Buffet of Health Stories

Erin Peterson — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:54:56 +0000

Almost every month, I write a slew of short health pieces for Experience Life. This month, I tackled the effect of long commutes on marriages (rotten), the long-term results of liposuction (rotten), the effect of short writing exercises before big tests (amazing), and the dangers of certain types of honey. You can pick up the magazine to read all the stories, or just click here to read the honey piece. Regardless, I’d add this whole issue to your “to read” list. It’s an especially good one.

Read more here.

A Sleigh Full of Deals

Erin Peterson — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:51:29 +0000

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, credit cards are a staple of the holiday shopping season. And if you’re someone who pays off your balance every month, November and December are the best months to take advantage of all of your cards’ benefits. Card issuers and companies roll out tons of great deals during the holidays—contests, discounts, bonuses—that they hope will encourage you to choose their card over a competitor’s. I wrote a monster story for CreditCards.coms, along with an accompanying chart, that outlines the various promotions that are being offered this season.

Read about it here and here.

The Good Things About Public Education

Erin Peterson — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:42:17 +0000

The documentary Waiting for Superman made it clear that public education in America is in dire need of an overhaul. And it made plenty of parents wonder if they were doing right by their kids by sending them to public schools. But this story I did for Mount Holyoke College examines the many bright spots that exist in public education today. It’s not just individual teachers (though there are plenty), but remarkable school-wide programs, funding initiatives, and innovative ideas. Public education may not be perfect everywhere, but there are many great things still going on in schools every single day.

Read more here.