ast
clear
text

Jennifer C. Ast, PhD

I offer editing services and writing advice for academics and their texts.

Employment

2015 to present: Owner/operator of Ast Clear Text, offering services from coaching to proofreading for scholarly texts in English

2013—2016: Language tutor at Uppsala University’s Language Workshop (Språkverkstaden)

2008—2010: Post-doc project at Uppsala University, which involved using metagenomics and next-generation DNA sequencing to investigate bacterial diversity in Swedish lakes

2002—2007: Research fellow at the University of Michigan's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, where I used DNA to study the ecology and evolutionary relationships of luminous marine bacteria symbiotic with fishes and squids

Education

1992—93, 1994—2001: MS and PhD in evolutionary biology from the University of Michigan's Museum of Zoology, where my research was about the evolutionary relationships among turtles, certain types of lizards, and between lizards and snakes

1988—1992: BA in biology from the University of Chicago, where I was a soccer player and honor student

My profile at ResearchGate

My ORCID

Here's what I bring to the table

Years of practical writing experience

I have written and published peer-reviewed publications, and I understand that expressing abstract ideas can be very difficult.

Years of relevant work experience

I have been a university researcher, and I know firsthand the stress of writing a thesis, and the pressures to get grants and publications.

Virtual meetings

I would be happy to meet with you virtually to discuss your project/text. In my experience, meeting to talk about a text is very useful, and I have had some very productive Zoom meetings with clients. When the pandemic is over, I hope to be able to return to offering in-person meetings.

An appreciation of diversity

I have worked with people from many different countries with many different first languages. I am very sympathetic to the difficulties of writing an academic text in a foreign language (because I've tried to do it myself).



And also...

... I like research and helping people clarify their ideas.

I have always enjoyed reading about a variety of topics and subjects. When I read new research, I try to understand it. I will find your text interesting, and I will enjoy helping you get it out into the world.

... I understand academia and its ways.

I speak geek.

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