
Elizabeth Quill is the executive editor for Science News. She has overseen efforts including the SN 10: Scientists to Watch and the Year in Review, and is the editorial coordinator for the Science News in High Schools program, which puts Science News and related resources into the hands of teachers and students at more than 4,000 high schools across the United States and worldwide. She has edited special collections on topics ranging from consciousness to general relativity, and recently took a deep dive into the stories behind the periodic table of the elements. Originally from the Finger Lakes region of New York, Elizabeth studied journalism at Ithaca College and received her master’s degree in science writing from MIT. This is her second tour at Science News. She started her career here more than a decade ago and returned in 2015 after serving as the senior editor for science at Smithsonian magazine.

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All Stories by Elizabeth Quill
- Science & Society
2017 delivered humility, and proved our potential
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill reflects on some of the top scientific stories of 2017.
- Science & Society
Would you opt to see the future or decipher the past?
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill wonders what it would be like if scientists could see into the past and the future.
- Science & Society
In science, some big risks are worth the rewards
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill says scientists sometimes take risks that can lead to significant rewards and important discoveries.
- Animals
Great praise for categories, and seeing beyond them
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses classification and some of the challenges of putting species in categorical boxes.
- Science & Society
Conspiring with engineers helps make science great
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill says the passion to acquire knowledge and apply it lives in both engineers and scientists.
- Science & Society
Success in science depends on luck, plus much more
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill says luck is only one determinant of an individual's success in science.
- Tech
Nature offers inspiration, and occasionally courage
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how nature can inspire people to make long-lasting change.
- Science & Society
Learning is a ubiquitous, mysterious phenomenon
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill talks about the science of learning and how our brains process new knowledge.
- Science & Society
Patience is one virtue scientists must embrace
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how being patient isn't always easy in scientific work.
- Animals
A lot of life on planet Earth is awful and incredible
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how the natural world feeds our sense of wonder.
- Earth
Expert eavesdroppers occasionally catch a break
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses the many ways we watch, listen and learn about science.
- Science & Society
Dive deep to discover unexpected connections
Readers often praise Science News for its brevity. But some ideas need more space, writes acting editor in chief Elizabeth Quill.