Biography
Medical Writer. Journalist. Biologist. Author. No matter the career, Carol has always found a way to combine her interests in science, writing, and education. Carol grew up on Long Island, just outside New York City, a voracious reader and fan of science and skyscrapers, bridges and Broadway plays. By 12 she dreamed of becoming a scientist, architect, or foreign correspondent who would spend all her spare time in darkened theaters. That may explain her varied career.
In 1976, Carol received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Rochester, with credit from Yale and the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. Her research was published in the Journal of Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and the Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. During a year spent as a postdoctoral fellow at Rockefeller University in New York City, her early interest in journalism was rekindled. Soon Carol joined TIME as a science and medical reporter, switching to its sister publication, Discover, when that magazine was launched. She also freelanced for OMNI, American Health, and Science Digest, and revised elementary and high school textbooks.
During those years, Carol reported and wrote on everything from the insides of a virus to the outer reaches of space, from eroding beaches to spreading wildfires. Each week brought a new topic – AIDS, the Challenger and Chernobyl disasters, superconductors, genetic engineering, fire technology, coastal erosion, and cholesterol. Along the way she became interested in photography and began taking her camera on assignments. To her delight, several of her photographs were published in Discover. And, of course, while living in Manhattan, she went to lots of plays.
Another change of careers brought Carol to southern Connecticut and a stint of corporate life. Working as a senior medical writer, clinical development coordinator, and manager in the International Research & Development division of Bristol-Myers Squibb gave her a strong grounding in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. She also got to satisfy the foreign travel part of her childhood dream while serving as liaison with the European offices and coordinating a worldwide training program to initiate a new planning process for clinical projects. No reporter’s notebook was tucked in her pocket, but at least she looked the part of foreign correspondent in her trench coat.
After leaving BMS, Carol established her own business as a pharmaceutical consultant and medical writer. Since then she has provided a broad range of freelance writing and consulting services to such clients as Purdue Pharma, BMS, Organon, University of Rochester Academic Services, and Medical Network (HealthAtoZ.com). Her projects have included writing and/or editing training manuals, literature reviews, manuscripts for professional journals, product data brochures for patients, and numerous articles on chronic pain, Alzheimer’s Disease, hearing loss, and alternative medicine for consumer health websites.
In 1993, Carol moved back to the Rochester, NY area and began juggling her consulting business with writing children's activity books with her youngest sister, Elizabeth J. Rieth. They co-authored five books, including Bridges. That one and Skyscrapers, Carol’s first solo book, let her peek inside the world of architects and engineers, fulfilling yet another childhood dream. With Going West and The Lewis & Clark Expedition, Carol explored a new fascination with American history. Carol served as president of the Rochester Area Children’s Writers & Illustrators group for eight years and as director of the Rochester Children’s Book Festival for six. Now once again living in Connecticut. Carol continues to do contract work in the science and medical fields and write for children.
