I have been a full-time freelance writer since the 1980s. Broadly, my specialties are science and technology, with particular emphasis on optics, lasers, fiber optics, electronics, astronomy, dinosaurs, evolution, earth science, and the environment.  I report news, explain science and technology, and explore the history of technology. My formal training is in electronic engineering, and I have a B.S. in engineering from Caltech. I have extensive experience in optics, lasers and fiber optics, including writing a primer on fiber optics that has sold over 100,000 copies in five editions, and a tutorial on lasers now in its fourth edition, and histories of both fiber optics and lasers. My curiosity about evolution, the environment, life and our planet drew me to write about a broad range of topics for New Scientist, where I was the first to break the discovery of the feathered dinosaurs of China. I also have published some three dozen short science fiction stories over the years in venues from Analog Science Fiction to Nature Futures.

It's been fun and rewarding in many ways. I enjoy digging into new ideas and technologies and explaining them to readers. I have been named a Fellow of Optica (formerly The Optical Society of America) and a Life Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. I received the Jesse H. Neal "Best Single Article" award for "Great Leaps of Light" in IEEE Spectrum. My series of articles "Looking Back/Looking Forward" published in the 2015 volume of Laser Focus World were a runner up in for the Jesse H. Neal "Best Series" award.

Please contact me at [my first name]@[this website name].com if you are interested in commissioning me to write an article.

The magazines I write for most frequently are:

New Scientist, a global weekly magazine and web site covering science and technology. I am a consultant and since the 1980s I have been writing for them since on dinosaurs, fossils, earth and planetary science, climate and the environment, and technology.

Optics & Photonics News, published monthly by Optica, formerly the Optical Society of America, where I write about optics and the history of optical technology.

Photonics Focus, published every two months by SPIE, where I write about optical science, engineering and history.

Sky & Telescope, published by the American Astronomical Society for which I write news and features on planetary science and astronomy.

Nature, the weekly international science journal, for which I have written news features and short science fiction stories in Nature Futures.

Previously I have written extensively for:
Laser Focus World, a monthly laser industry trade magazine, for which I was a contributing editor for many years.

IEEE Spectrum, published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, for which I wrote blogs, news and features on optical and electronic technology.