About Diana Kightlinger

I’ve been a geologist, engineer, environmental scientist, and writer—so I know my way around a rock face, a data set, a field site, and a deadline. For 25+ years, I’ve blended my experiences with master’s degrees in journalism and environmental science and a bachelor’s in geology to untangle knotty ideas and make them clear, engaging, and human.

My work for editorial and branded publications translates specialist knowledge and language into stories that stick—pieces that editors can publish with confidence and readers actually understand and finish. Whether it’s a feature, profile, or explainer, I craft a story that earns its space on the page. 

I stay connected to emerging conversations in science and communications as a member of the National Association of Science Writers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and as a Virginia Master Naturalist and certified wildlife rehabilitator. 

WHAT I BRING TO YOUR WRITING PROJECTS

• Fluency in science, environment, engineering, and tech
• Polished, fact-checked drafts that often run as filed
• Pitches with sharp angles, credible sources, and clear storylines
• A track record of anticipating what editors need before they ask

RECENT WRITING

Check out these recent writing projects in my Portfolio:

• Building Climate Resilience Into Construction (Built)
• A New Approach to a Surprisingly Carbon-Intensive Part of Offices ( 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨  )
• Protecting Birds with Smart Design: The Case for Bird-Safe Building Standards (Built)
• How Water Quality Impacts Climate Change — and Vice Versa (IDEXX Currents)
• Neurosurgeons Give a Farmer Another Chance at Life (University of Utah Health Sciences Convergence magazine)
• Huntsman Mental Health Center Annual Report (University of Utah Health Sciences)

A lifelong love of nature and interest in what’s down the road has taken me from my Alaska birthplace to France and Germany, across the United States, and now to the Blue Ridge. I’m a runner who lives a stone’s throw from the Appalachian Trail, an accidental marathoner, and an all-season explorer—with a world-famous dog as my co-adventurer.