James graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in biology, a minor in genetics, and nearly a second minor in biochemistry. His strong affinity for scientific ventures would naturally lead to a career in the subject.
James began his professional career working as a technologist in a cytogenetics laboratory for the Baylor College of Medicine. This type of clinical laboratory specialized in diagnosing genetic abnormalities by analyzing the structure of a patient’s chromosomes. James’s role involved all steps of the sample setup and analysis processes. The laboratory position required attention to fine details and strict adherence to procedures. James was also tasked with updating the lab’s written procedures to align with advances in technology. This was his first taste of Technical Writing. Although his duties focused more on his role as a cytogenetic technologist, James was surprised at how much he enjoyed developing new documentation for the laboratory. The directors of the laboratory noticed this inclination, and started allowing him to assist them with writing scientific papers for their independent research projects.
After four years working for the Baylor College of Medicine, James found his love waning for laboratory work and his interest in writing increasing. Around the same time, Wilson & Associates was looking for candidates to support a client at a chemical plant, an industry outside of their normal oil and gas industry. Confident that James’s knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry would aid in their new endeavor, Wilson & Associates offered James the opportunity to work for them as a Technical Writer at DuPont. James’s background in the sciences, strong problem solving abilities, and his ability to communicate with a wide array of personnel resulted in a success story.
