Media Moves

Washington Post appoints Sima health and wellness columnist

August 31, 2022

Posted by Mariam Ahmed

Richard Sima

The following excerpt was sent out from The Washington Post’s wellness editor Tara Parker-Pope:

I am delighted to announce that Richard Sima, a neuroscientist turned science journalist, will be joining The Washington Post’s expanding personal health and wellness team.

In this role, Richard will develop a weekly column about the neuroscience of everyday life, focusing on behavioral health and how matters of the mind can influence both our physical and mental wellbeing.

Richard is a trained neuroscientist with more than a decade of research experience. He attended Harvard College, graduating cum laude with high honors in neurobiology, and obtained his doctorate in neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University.

A passion for writing prompted Richard to leave academia to pursue a career in science journalism. He has written about the complexity of elephant trunksoptical illusions, the mental health benefits of reading and what a giant lily pad can teach us about building design. His work has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American, Discover Magazine and New Scientist. He has co-authored academic papers published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Plos One and the Journal of Community Psychology.

Richard has worked as a fact-checker for Vox podcasts, including the award-winning science podcast “Unexplainable.” He was a researcher for National Geographic’s Brain Games: On the Road TV show and served as a communications specialist at the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins’s Brain Science Institute.

Richard is the president of the D.C. Science Writers Association and co-founder of the Johns Hopkins Science Policy Group, which advocates for evidence-based policies that advance science and safeguard public health.

Richard’s first day is Monday, Aug. 29.

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