Shawna Williams

Shawna Williams

Shawna joined The Scientist in 2017 and is now a senior editor. She holds a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Colorado College and a graduate certificate and science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Previously, she worked as a freelance editor and writer, and in the communications offices of several academic research institutions. Shawna oversees The Scientist's social media channels and edits the Modus Operandi, Literature, and Foundations sections of the magazine.

Articles by Shawna Williams
Brain-Computer Interface User Types 90 Characters Per Minute with Mind
Brain-Computer Interface User Types 90 Characters Per Minute with Mind
Shawna Williams | May 13, 2021
The experimental system, developed and tested in just one patient so far, relies on brain signals associated with handwriting to achieve the fastest communication yet seen with BCI.
MDAR Framework Aims to Standardize Reporting in Life Sciences
MDAR Framework Aims to Standardize Reporting in Life Sciences
Shawna Williams | May 7, 2021
Malcolm Macleod, who helped develop these best practices, tells The Scientist how the new guidelines for manuscript publishing seek to support a push for transparent and thorough sharing of methods and data.
What Scientists Know About the B.1.617 Coronavirus Variant
What Scientists Know About the B.1.617 Coronavirus Variant
Shawna Williams | May 3, 2021
While some experts speculate the variant could be partially responsible for India’s current surge in SARS-CoV-2 infections, information about the effects of its mutations is only beginning to emerge.
Amanda Tokash-Peters Links the Microbiome to Ecology
Amanda Tokash-Peters Links the Microbiome to Ecology
Shawna Williams | May 1, 2021
The Centenary University professor studies the far-reaching effects of changes in the gut bacteria of mosquitos and other species.
Supply Shortages Hit Life Science Labs Hard
Supply Shortages Hit Life Science Labs Hard
Shawna Williams | Apr 21, 2021
The pandemic continues to make it difficult for researchers to get reagents and other materials in high demand for COVID-19 research and testing, threatening experiments’ progress and scientists’ careers.
Rediscovered Coffee Species Tastes Great, Tolerates Warmth: Study
Rediscovered Coffee Species Tastes Great, Tolerates Warmth: Study
Shawna Williams | Apr 20, 2021
Cultivating stenophylla, untapped by the coffee industry for the last century, could help farmers cope with the effects of climate change, researchers suggest.
Blood Clot Risk from COVID-19 Higher than After Vaccines: Study
Blood Clot Risk from COVID-19 Higher than After Vaccines: Study
Shawna Williams | Apr 16, 2021
The chance of developing cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was nearly 10 times higher in the two weeks following a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection than after receiving an mRNA vaccine, a data analysis finds.
J&J COVID-19 Vaccinations Resume After Temporary Shutdowns
J&J COVID-19 Vaccinations Resume After Temporary Shutdowns
Shawna Williams | Apr 9, 2021
Vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson jab paused at several sites earlier this week after an unusual number of people experienced adverse reactions, but the CDC says there’s no cause for concern.
What a Video Game Can Reveal About Monkeys’ Minds
What a Video Game Can Reveal About Monkeys’ Minds
Shawna Williams | Apr 1, 2021
Researchers find that the animals can account for others’ behavior and circumstances in their strategies.
Infographic: Steps in Cancer Metastasis
Infographic: Steps in Cancer Metastasis
Shawna Williams | Apr 1, 2021
It’s now thought that in many cases, cancer cells disseminate from the primary tumor site early on and lay dormant for long periods rather than only venturing out from primary tumors at an advanced stage.