Maddie Sofia is a scientist and journalist. They got their start as a journalist at NPR in 2016. In 2019, Maddie became the founding host of NPR’s award-winning daily science podcast Short Wave. In 2020, Short Wave became the most popular science podcast on Spotify in the United States. Maddie’s work is centered on inclusive communication and increasing the representation of marginalized communities in science journalism. They have reported on COVID, inequities in academia and public health, and some of the earth’s most fascinating creepy-crawlies. They are particularly interested in highlighting queer voices and issues. Before hosting Short Wave, Maddie hosted the NPR video show Maddie About Science and co-developed the worldwide NPR Scicommers program. The program (now at Boston University) focuses on supporting scientists interested in science communication through mentorship, community, and editorial support. The program has helped more than 100 scientists get published in popular science outlets. Previous to NPR, they received their Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Rochester Medical Center. Maddie is currently freelancing, teaching, and speaking. Their most recent journalistic work is featured in Science Friday and PBS/KQED’s video series Deep Look. They enjoy discussing careers outside of academia, inclusive science communication, and storytelling with students. They have designed and participated in science communication workshops for over 10 years. Outside of work, Maddie enjoys cooking, reading SciFi, and frolicking in the mountains.
