Katharine Gammon

Katharine Gammon is a freelance science writer in Santa Monica, CA, who has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, Wired, National Geographic, The Guardian and other outlets. She specializes in human-centered narrative journalism work about the environment, and her stories have twice been featured as honorable mentions in The Best American Science and Nature Writing. Gammon holds an undergraduate degree in environmental studies and anthropology from Princeton University and a master's degree in science writing from MIT.

Articles

Could Giving Families Cash Help Children’s Brain Development?

A new study will be the first to examine if extra cash for poor mothers may lead to better outcomes for kids.

Poverty and Class

FiveThirtyEight’s Anna Barry-Jester on how she reported the story of big disparities in South’s Black Belt

“I was really interested in the question of how slavery and historic institutions play out in health outcomes today,” Anna Barry-Jester of 538 told fellow journalists this week.

Environmental Health

Poverty and Class

Chronic Disease

In some of Los Angeles' poorest neighborhoods, a rich cluster of services targets underserved kids

The Magnolia Place Community Initiative brings together more than 70 county, city and community services and organizations to make children's lives better.

Environmental Health

Immigrant and Migrant Health

Poverty and Class

Katie McLaughlin, director of the Stress and Development Lab at the University of Washington, speaks to fellows at the 2017 Nati

How neglect and abuse change children’s brains — and their futures

Stresses like poverty, neglect and abuse all manifest differently in the brain and can cause different mental health issues later in life, explains researcher Katie McLaughlin of the University of Washington.

Mental Health

Reporter uncovers the hidden tragedies of children left behind when mom goes to jail

“In my newsroom, reporters are encouraged to have obsessions rather than beats,” Cary Aspinwall told fellows at the 2017 National Fellowship this week. “And my obsession is women in jail.”

Poverty and Class

Mental Health