I'm Andy, and over a longish life, I've worked as a stable hand, illustrator, factory worker, field biologist, development volunteer, and—most recently—as a professor of ecology.
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Along the way, I've worked and played in countries on four continents. This eclectic journey exposed me to stories and events that were unique to each time and place. These experiences inform my writing and editing, enabling me to capture the atmosphere of specific locations and to draw upon a wellspring of factual knowledge gained through work and travel.
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I continue to wear several professional hats—as editor, writer, and researcher—and I can bring the skills associated with these disciplines to your project.
Editor
Arguably, my best qualification as an editor is my experience. Over the years, I’ve graded thousands of term papers, evaluated hundreds of submissions to scholarly journals, and edited dozens of graduate theses. I’ve also published my fair share of academic papers, technical reports, and popular articles.
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In 2020, I graduated from the Editing Certificate Program at Simon Fraser University. This training introduced me to the specialized techniques, legal considerations, and ethical dimensions of professional editing.
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Subsequently, I took a two-month editing mentorship through Editors Canada in 2021, and in 2022, I completed the excellent Developmental Editing for Fiction course at Editorial Arts Academy. In 2023, I passed the Editors Canada Editing Essentials Test with a grade of 84.4%.
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There's always more to learn, and continuing education is an integral part of my editing practice.
Writer
I've written my fair share of academic papers and technical reports over the years, as well as articles and blogs for general audiences on themes ranging from science policy to education.
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After 2016, I diversified into writing speculative fiction, and am currently occupied with the third draft of my work in progress. I'm also moving away from writing academic research articles to writing non-fiction for a more general audience.
See My Writing for a more detailed look at my diverse writing interests and links to some published examples.
Academic
As a teacher and researcher, I've always considered myself to be a solid generalist.
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Although my PhD is in forest ecology, I've taught and researched in fields as diverse as forest ecology, climate change science, statistical analysis, and environmental psychology. My work has been consistently been published in respected peer-reviewed journals, including Forest Ecology and Management, Bioscience, and Climatic Change.
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Since 2020, I've leveraged my academic knowledge and experience to help other researchers hone their manuscripts for publication.
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