Lily Burton spent years in the laboratory. PhD in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the University of Chicago. Deep research. Big questions.
But something was missing.
“I really enjoyed thinking about really deep questions,” she says. “But I missed the human element a little bit. I would get frustrated – why would a normal, everyday person care about this?”
That question led her to write scientifically. And ultimately to a portfolio that she built in an hour with the help of our AI website builder.
From lab to byline
To pursue her dream of scientific writing, Lily built up slowly. Volunteer projects. Little bylines. She then applied to the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship in late 2023 – mostly as a practice.
She got in.
Ten weeks at a public radio station in North Carolina, reporting on science. That was the moment it became reality.
“This could be something I could do.”
The portfolio problem
But to get paid work she needed a portfolio. A place to show her clips. Proof that she could get the job done.
She kept putting it off.
I had been dreading creating the website, not because it would be that difficult, but I just didn’t know exactly how to do it.
Then a deadline came. An internship application. Four hours to complete everything: CV, cover letter, portfolio.
She opened WordPress.com, found the AI website builder, and started typing. About an hour later, her online portfolio was live.
It has lowered the threshold for me to get started and get everything in order.
Which resulted in Lily’s new website
She didn’t get that first job. But the website stuck.
Another interview a few weeks later. They wanted writing samples. She sent the website immediately.
As a result, Lily got:
- Contract work from that company
- A separate internship
- A portfolio that’s ready to send when opportunities arise
They asked for writing samples. I sent them my website. I have the contract.
Your story also deserves a home
Lily had put off her portfolio for too long. A deadline forced her to put her hand down – and the AI website builder got her there within an hour.
WordPress.com’s managed hosting also means it doesn’t have to deal with updates or maintenance. She focuses on her career. The platform takes care of the rest.
Her story started in the laboratory. But her website is where the next chapter begins.
Yours can do that too.
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