Mason Wakley graduated from the University of Oxford, UK, in 2024, with a degree in chemistry. A year later, in the summer of 2025, he spent eight weeks working as a science writer intern for Chemistry World. Here’s how he got on…
I started my internship in the middle of press week – it doesn’t get much busier at Chemistry World. One of my first tasks was to help the team put together the latest print edition and on my second day, I was proofreading a feature article on how hibernating animals were inspiring new drugs. Who knew a sleeping dormouse could be relevant to chemists?
My mornings often began by sifting through press releases of yet-to-be published research, where I would look for items to pitch at the daily news meeting. Not all my pitches landed, I must admit, but the experience taught me how to defend a story if I thought it was worth telling.
Many of the articles I wrote were news items about a single scientific study and writing one tended to begin by arranging interviews with the researchers involved, as well as independent experts. Coordinating these calls could be tricky, but more often than not, people were generous with their time – and as eager to discuss the science as I was.
At first, writing a piece took me quite a while. My typing speed didn’t exactly help (though I like to think that’s improved). More importantly, I had to adjust to a completely different writing style. Unlike the academic tone I was used to at university, writing for a general audience meant being much more mindful about language and structure — making sure everything was clear, engaging and accessible.
As I mentioned, I spent a lot of time interviewing researchers about their work. The idea of conducting interviews felt daunting at first, but chatting with chemists always ended up being a highlight of my day as their passion for science was infectious. More than once, I found myself tempted to drop everything and join their lab, just to be part of such breakthroughs. Some chemists shared tales of the unconventional routes to their findings, like when I talked to Valentine Ananikov about his transition from developing catalysts to spotting pitfalls in cytotoxicity studies. I had no idea that there might be a connection between these two areas of research.
Chemistry World covers a wide spectrum of topics. Indeed during my time, I wrote about everything from photoredox catalysts to wine testing to single-molecule magnets. Of all the pieces that I worked on, my favourite was about a ferrocene derivative that defies the 18-electron rule. Like many, I’ve long been fascinated by ferrocene, so it was a joy to share that excitement with the chemists I interviewed. I came to realise that chemistry isn’t just a set of rules you learn as an undergraduate, but a dynamic and evolving field.
Aside from updating readers about the latest research, I also expanded into writing about careers in the cosmetic science industry, and about the rise of fraudulent academic publications. These stories showed me that journalism is also about challenging preconceptions and getting to grips with difficult topics.
On the ground at the RSC’s emerging tech final
In my third week I attended the final of the RSC’s emerging technologies competition, where numerous chemistry-based start-ups were showcasing their novel technologies. Arriving early in the morning to discover there was no power was certainly an eventful way to start the day but nevertheless, everything carried on smoothly.
Interviewing people in person was certainly different to virtual meetings. But – with my notepad and voice recorder at hand – I started to feel like a real journalist. I’ve since explored some of the technologies in more detail, covering hydrogen peroxide production, and recycling of carbon fibre composite materials.
My internship at Chemistry World has been a strong first step in developing as a science journalist. Thanks to the team’s support and feedback throughout, I had the skills and confidence to become a freelance journalist once I finished my internship. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay away from the Chemistry World team for long and I am now back working as a science correspondent.
If you’re thinking about your using your chemical sciences background in a different way or are curious about what it’s like to write about science as a career, I urge you to apply for this year’s internship. You never know where it might take you.
Additional information
Applications for Chemistry World’s 2026 science writer internship supported by the Marriott Bequest Trust are open until 22 February 2026.
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