Mariëtte Bliekendaal is an experienced science journalist and copy editor with more than five years’ experience working with several publications. She combines her knowledge of biomedical sciences with narrative reporting skills to present science in a way that is understandable and attractive for a general audience.
Earning her master’s degree in Bio Pharmaceutical sciences at Leiden University in 2003, she began her career as a freelance writer for the Choice Guide of Higher Education, writing informative articles for upper secondary students who are faced with a barrage of choices as they apply to institutions of higher learning. She continued her career with several editors’ positions at MedNet Magazine (a monthly magazine for medical professionals) and Chemical Weekly (Life Sciences and Medicines Edition).
In 2008, she spent a year in New Brunswick, N.J., where she worked as a writer for the Office of Promotion of Women in Science at Rutgers, the State University. She also wrote special features for the News Service at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken N.J., inaugurating the online blog, “The View from the EU.”
Since 2008, Mariëtte has pursued a successful business in freelance writing and editing, working for MedNet, C2W life sciences edition, NWT magazine (the Dutch version of New Scientist) and Intermediair, a magazine for the university graduate job seeker. She combines these pursuits with teaching writing skills in the Master of Science Education and Communication program at Groningen University in the Northern Netherlands.
Mariëtte is fluent in both Dutch and English.