Proposing a Good Essay to HBCU Research

How to propose a guest essay for HBCU Research, CarverNext and MSI Science 

We welcome essays from thought leaders and scholars at all levels, from grad students and postdocs at one end to senior researchers, CEOs and policy professionals in government and nonprofits. Our authors come from, or are in a position to influence, all STEM-related fields or enterprises, from all parts of the world.

Finished pieces should be approximately 7-800 words long (although longer essays are often accepted as well). They should be written in a conversational tone with minimal jargon—as though you were at a dinner party with intelligent, educated non-scientists who are curious about what you do and what you think about.

These essays should not be promotional in nature; you can certainly mention or describe your own work or the work of your institution or company, but that should not be the main focus. We look for fact-based arguments, and your affiliation and experience as described in a brief bio will establish your expertise.

The range of potential topics is almost unlimited: essays can be serious or tragic or funny or provocative or simply intriguing. Some of the many possible topics for a successful essay include:

• New and emerging trends in one’s field of expertise
• Ethical quandaries in particular STEM fields, and how to think about them
• Commentary on recent high-profile results or announcements in one’s field
• A lay-language explanation of one’s own recent journal publication
• How the author came up with a new approach to a scientific/technical question
• What the experience of working in the field or in the lab is like
• How well or badly STEM fields are doing at being inclusive of under-represented populations
• What the likely effects might be if a given public policy were to go into effect or to go away
• A window into a little-known but fascinating area of inquiry
• How to address an existing problem or question in a novel way
• How the practice of science could be made more effective/transparent/equitable
• What policy or business leaders should be doing to properly manage an emerging or key area

To propose an essay, email a simple, one-paragraph description of what you’d like to write about and what your background/affiliation(s) are to our Chief Opinion Editor, Sandra Long, at slong@HBCUresearch.com or to our general inquiry email: editorial@HBCUResearch.com