Deborah A. Hutchinson

About Deborah A. Hutchinson

My background combines elements of technology, science, and communication.On a more granular level, I have skills and experience in technical writing, program and project management, internal and external communications, quantum computing, and sustainable business practices.I am currently working as a senior scientific journalist on Microsoft’s quantum team. In this role, I write and edit blog posts, business strategy documents, and sponsored articles. I also build websites, devise communication strategies, and collaborate with product managers, scientists, and external partners.In my previous role on Meta\'s responsible AI team, I translated technical descriptions into understandable language to explain how AI systems work. I collaborated daily with product teams, ML engineers, designers, data scientists, UXR, and partners in legal and policy. In addition to technical writing, I spent large amounts of time on content design as well as project management.While working remotely for a B2B SaaS company as a sustainability consultant, I conducted research, created content, and devised strategies to guide organizations toward sustainability. I wrote 15 action plans on identifying and mitigating physical risks due to climate change and 11 action plans on addressing environmental justice.At Facebook Reality Labs, my primary objective was to support the operations of a large, fast-paced research group in technology. To accomplish that goal, I performed extensive literature reviews on many topics, including sustainable product manufacturing, and provided strategic guidance on the research directions of multiple teams. I also built and managed websites and databases on several content management systems to keep materials archived, organized, and accessible.In former roles, I gained experience conducting research in chemical ecology, managing teams of scientists and teachers, and writing and publishing scientific reports. The research I was involved in resulted in the publication of 8 manuscripts, of which I was first author on 5, including one in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.I have excellent writing, editing, and interpersonal skills and I am comfortable distilling and presenting complex information to professionals, the general public, and the media. I have given or co-authored 28 presentations at scientific conferences and given 7 invited lectures including one in Japan.

Experience

1. Senior Scientific Journalist, Microsoft Quantum (Via Nayamode)

   Microsoft

   Nov 2023 — Present

   Writing and editing posts for the Microsoft Azure Quantum blog and the Official Microsoft Blog • Editing white papers such as https://arxiv.org/abs/24•••••70• Creating narratives for internal and external communications• Writing MPFs, business strategy documents, product spec sheets, and web content• Collaborating regularly with product managers, business leaders, designers, marketing, and legal

Education

• UC San Diego Extended Studies

  Sustainable Business Practices

• Old Dominion University

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ecological Sciences

• University of San Diego

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Biology

• Old Dominion University

  Master of Science (M.S.), Biology

Skills

• Creative Problem Solving
• Biology
• Organization Skills
• Strategic Planning
• University Teaching
• Evolutionary Biology
• Teamwork
• Research
• Physiology
• Program Management
• Statistical Data Analysis
• Science
• Editing
• Negotiation
• Animal Behavior
• Data Analysis
• Statistics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Leadership
• Conflict Resolution
• Academic Advising
• Experimental Design
• Information Management
• Public Speaking
• Teaching
• Time Management
• Ecology
• Scientific Writing
• Chemical Ecology
• Communication
• Herpetology
• Project Management
• Anatomy
• Higher Education