Mark Marchand blog

Drawing inspiration from a very old autobiography to tell the ‘superbug’ Story

Post published:November 21, 2019

Really good writers who can explain complex scientific or medical topics are rare. Scientists and/or physicians who are really good writers are even rarer. Ever since Columbia University physician, biologist and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee crafted the Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer,” I’ve been on the lookout for the next breakout scientist/physician who could help us learn more about the science of our world. Thanks to the New York State Writers Institute and the University at Albany’s RNA Institute, I recently discovered another gem. Meet Matt McCarthy, MD. He’s a…

The 50th anniversary of landing on the Moon – A personal reflection

Post published:July 22, 2019

It’s been a half century since we landed on the Moon. It was an important moment in my life and, I suspect, for millions of others. I have spent years studying the nine-year NASA program, leading up to the Apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969. During that time, I have read hundreds of historical records, books, and other accounts of this amazing achievement for humankind, attempting to find some sort of personal meaning. I wrote about it in this Op Ed published last weekend in the Times-Union daily newspaper in Albany,…

Thomas Edison’s winter home in Fort Myers. Credit: author

Fort Myers, Florida: More than just a home for MLB Spring Training

Post published:May 28, 2019

For years, I’ve been visiting Fort Meyers, Florida and the surrounding area in March, spending time watching my Boston Red Sox get ready for another campaign up north. This Southwest Florida city and the surrounding area is a terrific destination for a late-winter recreational sojourn. And it’s filled with with attractions that go well beyond the spring training homes of the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. From nature/wildlife preserves to historical sites, there’s more than enough here to satisfy even those visitors who aren’t fans of America’s pastime. And of course there…

The creative link between science writing and art: The ‘Story’

Post published:March 6, 2019

Whether communicating about the complex world of science or using art to illustrate life in America, the “story” is what matters. The connection between two vastly different worlds struck me a few weeks ago as award-winning science journalist Ed Yong stood before a University at Albany audience. As he shared with listeners his approach to selecting topics and then writing articles about 21st century science, the slide he projected behind him spoke volumes: “Stories Matter.” In a world bursting at the seams with scientific data and research results, The Atlantic magazine writer argued, any journalist attempting to gain…

Viewing 20th century America through Norman Rockwell’s eyes

Post published:January 15, 2019

Before he passed away in 1978, famed illustrator Norman Rockwell offered the “secret” behind how he crafted his amazing paintings: “I love to tell stories in pictures,” he explains in a biographical video at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. He adds that what he was trying to do wasn’t “fine art.” His legions of fans would probably disagree. “The story is the first thing and the last thing,” he concludes. A visitor to the wonderful museum dedicated to Rockwell’s life and work doesn’t really need to hear those words. Each…