Stephen Riffle

Stephen Riffle is a scientist turned science writer with a passion for all the small things. After completing his Ph.D. work at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Stephen took up a position as a full-time writer. His goal was, and still is, to help his audience get lost in the excitement of curiosity and to feel, if only for a moment, the rush that comes with discovering something new about this world. Stephen’s writing has supported numerous organizations in their efforts to grow and connect with their audiences through blogs, news articles, infographics, and other forms of written content. He’s happy to write about almost any topic in science generally, but specializes in molecular biology, pharmacology, paleobiology, and urban ecology.

Why is storytelling your purpose?

Without context, a handprint faintly decorating a wall is unremarkable, forgettable. But when you look at the fingers, the texture of the palm, and you know that you’re seeing the hand of a human being who took shelter in this cave more than 60,000 years ago, something stirs in you. Stories help us form connections, with one another and with the story itself. When done well, stories inspire audiences by engaging them on an intellectual and emotional level. Science often fails to do the latter, leaving room for pseudoscientific stories to flourish and misinformation to spread. I believe that audiences deserve better, which is why I’m dedicated to creating accurate and compelling stories around science.