- In a Nutshell
- Senior technical writer at Salesforce
- NYU journalism master's degree
- Former scientist and science journalist
- Last name is MAY-han, like "ham" with an "n"
- ExperienceSenior Technical Writer
Salesforce
2016–PresentI explain how to use Salesforce Marketing Cloud's mobile products to both marketers and developers (API and SDK documentation). I write about four products, for two different audiences, on five Agile development teams.
Assessment Technology CoordinatorIndiana University School of Medicine
2014–2016
In order to create better doctors, I worked full-time with dozens of faculty across the state to help them use the computer-based assessment software in which all first- and second-year medical students take exams. I not only made it easier for faculty to use the software, called ExamSoft, but I also made it easier for them to use it well. I communicated faculty members’ feedback to the software company as one of ExamSoft’s first online community champions and was invited by the company to review proposals and present at their annual conference.
Freelance Design Research Consultant
Studio Science and Scholastic magazines' websites
December 2015–January 2016
As a freelance design research consultant on two short-term projects, I formulated a tailored research plan by first gaining a deep understanding of the client and their goals, their competitors, and industry trends. I then conducted qualitative research, such as interviews and card-sorting exercises, in which I didn't simply record what people said and did; I asked follow-up questions to uncover insights: Why did you use that card? Why didn’t you mention that earlier? Then, I clearly communicated research findings to help guide business decisions.
Associate Faculty Member: Technical Communication
IUPUI School of Engineering and TechnologySpring 2015I taught students who were not necessarily excited about writing (i.e., not writing majors) to communicate effectively in the workplace. I planned and moderated discussion sessions and provided usable feedback on their writing. After taking my course, students extolled the benefits of getting their peers to review their emails, proposals, etc. before sending them out (hallelujah!).Technical Writer and Documentation Project ManagerRouteMatch Software, Inc.
2012–2014
As a user advocate, I researched, wrote, designed, and edited e-learning modules, training guides, quick reference guides, etc. to meet users’ particular skill levels in our complex software. For example, I created a line of flip-book job aids—our most popular and award-winning documents—that were so intuitive for new users that the education team adopted them to help train new clients. Additionally, I got the user-experience ball rolling by creating a UX committee along with colleagues from Product Management, QA, and others.Researcher, Consultant, Resource Developer, and InstructorUniversity of Georgia – School of Forestry and Natural Resources & Department of English
2010–2012
I led a multi-year study and recruited 20+ volunteers to conduct applied (read: messy) scientific research in the Appalachian mountains. I was responsible for managing all of the logistics, scheduling, recruiting, and research. In the process, I earned two honorable mention awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF), one of the largest scientific research funding agencies in the country. While a full-time graduate student, I also wore many other hats: I developed novel ways to engage a lecture hall full of 40 forestry majors, such as asking them to imagine what classic nature writers would say about modern hunting equipment. I also created 35 activities for faculty to use to engage their students in writing.Senior Educator and Publications ManagerSt. Louis Science Center2010Finding science in the inner city was no obstacle for the group of high school students that I led. Though many were facing multiple risk factors for dropping out of school, they became amateur science journalists, publishing a newspaper and website. The stories that these students wrote generated some of the data for a $3.5 million NSF grant, and the activities that I tested with the students became part of a book published by the National Science Teachers Association Press (Front-Page Science, Saul et al., 2010-2011).Science Writer and Journalist – Freelance and InternFreelancer for Scientific American Mind, Scholastic, and other outlets
2005–2012
Intern at Scientific American Mind, Psychology Today, and LiveScience.com
2008
I was a translator, interviewing scientists to help the general public understand scientific discoveries. I pitched, wrote, researched, conducted interviews for, created, recorded, edited, and fact-checked articles, audio podcasts, videos, and infographics. My work has appeared in some of the leading science magazines and websites in the country: Psychology Today, ScientificAmerican.com, Scientific American Mind, LiveScience.com, and Scholastic’s ScienceWorld magazine, to name a few.Research Laboratory TechnicianUniversity of Missouri – Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology2007I conducted research to understand how blood vessels are created in order to better understand how to treat disease. I was responsible for making sure the lab ran smoothly by ordering supplies and scheduling equipment repairs. Plus, I got to dye cells fluorescent colors.ResearcherUniversity of Tennessee-Knoxville – field site in Uvalde, TX
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory – Aiken, SC
University of Missouri, Department of Biological Sciences – Columbia, MO
2003–2006
While a full-time undergraduate student, I designed my own research studies in applied ecology, wrote proposals, collected and analyzed data, and presented the results at regional and national conferences to inform conservation managers about wetland recommendations. I successfully applied for $10,000 in research scholarships and travel awards. - "Research is just another name for critical thinking."Erika HallJust Enough Research
- Education
Graduate Certificate, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
IUPUI – Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
2016–Present
Part-time student, while working full time.
MNR, Natural Resources (scientific research)University of Georgia
2010–2012
MA, Science JournalismNew York University
2007–2009
BA and BS, English and Biologysumma cum laudeUniversity of Missouri2002 - 2006 - Anne LamottBird by Bird"...good writing is about telling the truth. We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are."
- PortfolioSelected articles, podcasts, research articles, blog posts, technical writing—plus an infographic about supermale fish (to the rescue!)Scientific American Mind magazine"Put the Kid on the Stand"ArticleScientificAmerican.com"Eat, Exercise and Be Merry"Podcast"Diet of the Gray Treefrog (Hyla Versicolor) in Relation to Foraging Site Location"Research ArticleLiveScience.com"The Secret to the Spring in Your Step"ArticleScienceline.org"Supermales to the Rescue"Article and InfographicScientificAmerican.com"More Sex for Women?"Podcast"Seasonal Terrestrial Microhabitat Use by Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor) in Missouri Oak-hickory Forests"Research ArticleCareerBliss.com"When Job Hunting is Like Dating"Blog PostCareerBliss.com"From College to Work"Blog Post"ExamSoft Instructions for Faculty"Technical WritingScientific American Mind magazine"Bird Naps"Article
- SkillsList of skills and super powersResearch ExperiencePlanning and designing studies
Conducting research (journey mapping, card sorting, interviews, etc.)
Analyzing data
Presenting and reporting resultsSoftwaremyBalsamiq (prototyping tool), Optimal Workshop (usability tools: online cardsorting, etc.), Adobe Captivate, Adobe Connect, Concrete5 and Confluence (CMS), Canvas and Sakai (LMS), GoToMeeting