Robert Lee Hotz is the science columnist at the The Wall Street Journal. A longtime science writer at the Los Angeles Times, Professor Hotz was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1986 for his coverage of genetic engineering issues, and again in 2004 for his coverage of the space shuttle Columbia accident. He also shared a Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for articles about the Northridge Earthquake. He is the author of Designs On Life, Exploring The New Frontiers of Human Fertility, and a contributor to several books on research issues. He has received many honors, including national awards from The Society of Professional Journalists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Geophysical Union. He is an elected Fellow of the AAAS; an honorary life member of Sigma Xi, The Research Society; and is vice president of the National Association of Science Writers. His career has included stints as a reporter and editor at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Pittsburgh Press and The News-Virginian. He has traveled three times to the South Pole under the auspices of the National Science Foundation. Professor Hotz received his B.A. in English and M.A. in Theater History from Tufts University.