A pen-and-ink drawing of the U.S. Capitol dome draws itself as you scroll, circled by orbits like the Catalyst logo.
About The Catalyst
/ˈkad·l·ist/noun
Our mission
We give the next generation of scientists a platform, and carry their ideas from the lab into the public conversation.
A Washington, D.C.–based magazine dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, written, edited and designed by students.
Long-form features on emerging research and sharp editorials on science policy: the ideas and people shaping the future of STEM, brought closer to a general audience.
Factual accuracy, intellectual honesty and clear writing. We verify claims against primary sources, correct openly and never trade rigor for readability.
Our story
01
The Catalyst began as a conversation between a few students who felt that STEM research, happening all around them in one of the most scientifically active cities in the country, wasn’t reaching the people who should care most about it. Washington is home to world-class universities, federal research agencies and a policy world where science matters. We wanted a publication that reflected that.
02
We started small: a handful of writers, no budget and a lot of shared Google Docs. Contributors from across the D.C. area joined, students from GW, Georgetown, Howard, Johns Hopkins and beyond, each bringing a different lens to the same goal. The magazine grew with the people in it more than from any master plan.
03
The Catalyst is now a cross-institutional student magazine with a growing readership and a clear editorial identity. We’re still student-run, still independent and still driven by the same conviction: good science writing can change how people think. We’re glad you’re here.
Where our team studies
Our commitment
What we promise readers, the researchers we write about, and each other.
Every article is fact-checked against primary sources before it reaches readers. Our editors review for accuracy, clarity and fairness, and we correct promptly when we get something wrong.
We write for curious readers, not specialists. The goal is to make complex research understandable without dumbing it down, respecting both the science and the audience.
The Catalyst is editorially independent. Our coverage is guided by journalistic judgment, not institutional affiliation or outside influence.
The team
Students from across the D.C. area, united by a commitment to rigorous, accessible science journalism. Select anyone to read their story.
Write, edit, design or simply read along. There’s a place for you at The Catalyst.
