UKCAF website

Doug Cross, BSc. CBiol. FRSB
Freelance science writer

What I do now
I'm a professional science writer, a former Chartered Scientist, an existing Chartered Biologist, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. For over 40 years I worked as a Consultant, Team and Mission Leader for Clients that included International Development Agencies and Civil Engineering Consortia: I’ve seen it all, good and bad.

Most of those Reports remain confidential (some even highly classified), but the experience remains and gives me an edge when writing about more popular topics as a freelance writer. My 'other' work has been published in peer-reviewed Journals, Magazines, Newspapers and web sites.

Now I'm on the market for freelance writing; technical and scientific news, break-throughs, events, incidents, and, of course, deflating the all-too-frequent scientific hype and hysteria that obsesses the media and the masses

Professional experience
In a long and well-travelled career as a freelance Consultant, I've been most places, done most things, and learned to see things from a pretty wide perspective.

And I‘ve served as an Expert Witness in Courts at home and abroad, so I'm very familiar with the need to make sure of my facts and write within my capabilities.

Journalism and writing
For several years I wrote a regular monthly feature column for the International Magazine (World Fishing). I've also written chapters for reference books, and lectured to students, politicians, professional scientists, and to the public aound the world. A Chinese school text book aimed at encouraging the kids to make their careers in science features me as 'an amazing biologist!'

For years I collected field evidence in environmental pollution and related incidents, and developed an insight into forensic practice that I used in a range of astonishing, and often haardous incidents. Recently I was invited to write a Chapter on Environmental Forensics in a leading Encyclopaedia, to give non-scientfic lawyers a glimpse of this new and rapidly expanding field.

Inside information
For ten years I was a member of a government Expert Committee, and blew the whistle on it in the British Medical Journal when it turned nasty. So I know how things go down behind the scenes too. On the UK Councils Against Fluoridation web site, I exposed the government’s National Fluoride Information Centre scam, forcing its ignominious closure. Now I’m taking on the health service, and the stories I have to tell are sensational - just watch my Blog page and see!

Research
And I do plenty of research for my articles, always citing my sources where needed. I work with lawyers and world-class scientific experts in a range of legal and environmental fields.

You'll notice that, on many of the detailed researched documents on this site I provide full references, including Internet access pages where appropriate. This is to help my readers check my original sources. They need to be able to verify what I have written, as this avoids unneccessary arguments later, especially from those people who like to argue about legal issues!

Media publicity
Working from home, I research and write articles and materials for both the popular press and for academic audiences. I've worked with radio and TV teams, both recorded and live, including the Horizon, Panorama and Beyond 2000 teams, and with journalists working on News and Feature assignments.

For the last 28 years I've been deeply involved in the continuing investigation of the 1988 Camelford Water Poisoning Incident, and recently I've appeared in a prominent role in an Austrian feature film (contact me for the password) and German TV video documentaries - a bit like a British version of the Erin Brockovich story, in fact!

The sales pitch!

So here's the hard sell. I’m an experienced and prolific author, and write the way that my audience is comfortable with. I cover a very wide range of environmental topics, and I never miss a deadline.

if you’re looking for someone who can provide a critical approach to controversial issues, at whatever level (from a relaxed popular approach to a more rigorous academic format), and who can provide a stimulating new slant, then I’m your man.

You can see some of my work on this web site, but don’t judge me on that alone. This stuff is for a very specialised audience. Check out some of my technical writing on my Researchgate entries - there's not a lot there yet, but I'll be putting many of my reports from around the world on line over the coming months.

And for more information on my professional background, check out my LinkedIn Profile. it's all there. So give me a call - I'm open all hours and my rates are (possibly) negotiable!

MAIL ME NOW

Or phone me on ++44 (0) 1229 885420

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