On Monday Feb 29 2016, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley Smart about his journey into science journalism. Our half-hour conversation touched on paleontology, the optics needed to detect gravity waves, and diversity within the science field. We also spoke about an exciting new fellowship that will enable students from HBCUs to gain experience in science writing. I admire Ashley’s boldness in switching careers and his  current work to provide opportunities for others to become science writers. This week, I am writing a longer offline piece about our conversation.