Science communication: Scientist as star : Nature News

Science communication: Scientist as star : Nature News: "''What the hell are you doing?' That's what all my scientific friends were saying,' she says. ''This is not helping you get tenure.'' Mednick says that she wrote the book, together with co-author Mark Ehrman, because she wanted her research to reach people. 'It was such an obvious book to write,' she says. 'I just like the idea of having my research being real world.' She concedes that vanity and the hope for a pay cheque were a small part of the motivation. Ultimately, however, Mednick seems driven by a desire to overturn conventions. A former actress, Mednick marches to her own drumbeat, say friends and colleagues. The book definitely got her noticed — leading to the whirlwind of media attention in 2007 (see 'Spreading the science of napping to the masses')."