Wendy Zukerman
Wendy Zukerman
Career
Presently based in New York City, Zukerman hosts and conducts research for Science Vs, produced by American digital media company Gimlet Media since 2016. Science Vs has gained a following in Australia and subsequently in the United States through its research on the science behind a variety of topics, [1] including fad diets, immigration, women's sexuality, artificial sweeteners, and nuclear power, among others. [2] The podcast seeks to pit hard facts against widely disseminated claims.
Prior being picked up by Gimlet Media, Science Vs was produced for a season by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, based out of Sydney. In this first season, the podcast achieved over 1.3 million downloads. [3] In the years preceding her move to the United States, Zukerman worked for the ABC News on the scientific documentary program Catalyst, and was the Asia-Pacific reporter for the weekly international science magazine, New Scientist . She also previously contributed to Australian publications such as The Saturday Paper and Cosmos (magazine). [4]
Education
Zukerman graduated with honors in 2008 with a biomedical science /Law degree at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. She has stated that while she initially intended to enter the world of corporate law following her graduation, she opted instead to take a gap year to pursue a lifelong dream to work in journalism. An interest in scientific journalism led to an internship at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, eventually launching her career. [4]
Controversy
While Zukerman has asserted that she seeks to present information in a way that is balanced and non-derisive, [5] some Science Vs listeners have accused the podcast via informal reviews of presenting a biased viewpoint in its more controversial episodes. [6] Nonetheless, Science Vs has not backed away from heavily-debated topics, including attachment parenting, hydraulic fracturing, GMO use, and gun control. In relation to these accusations, Zukerman has said, "The hardest part of making Science Vs is convincing people that we don’t have an agenda. In the U.S., there is a perception that all news is partisan – so even in the news there are no facts, only opinions." [7]
In support of Science Vs, fans have praised the podcast's dynamic and humorous approach to scientific research and controversial topics.
Personal
In interviews, Zukerman has alluded to the fact that while she always had an interest in science, she was not necessarily on the path to science journalism throughout much of her life.
She considered political journalism for a while, and following her studies originally planned to work at a corporate law firm.
One factor which may have influenced her resulting career is her heritage: Zukerman has indicated that both of her parents are scientists, with her mother working as a professor in computer science and her father in electrical engineering. Zukerman has referred to her mother as a personal hero, noting that her mother entered the computing domain in its "early days" and, as a woman, was discouraged from pursuing a Computer science Career. [8]