B.A. Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 1977
M.S. Journalism, Columbia University, 1979

Office: CMU 223
E-mail: silberne@uw.edu

I graduated with a bachelor’s in biology from Johns Hopkins University, following a quarter-long escape to the University of California at Santa Cruz where I happened into a science writing course. I had a number of journalism internships, went to J-school, had a very brief stint as a public information officer at Johns Hopkins medical institutions, then got an internship at a small magazine called Science News. I refused to leave at the end of the internship so they put me on staff. I left after five years to go to U.S. News & World Report, where I covered consumer health. After that, it was 18 years at NPR as health policy correspondent. I covered everything from the Food and Drug Administration to the chocolate industry in Brazil. I now have a part-time position as Artist in Residence in the Department of Communication, and I hope to be contributing as well to various radio programs.