About
John Kennedy is PopSci’s DIY editor. He previously covered legal news for Law360 and, before that, local news at the Journal Inquirer in Connecticut. He has also built and remodeled houses, worked as a fencing coach, and shelved books at a library. When he’s not taking things apart or putting them back together, he’s playing sports, cooking, baking, or immersed in a video game.
Experience
John joined the PopSci team in early 2019, after four years covering a vast swath of legal news at Law360, including building and leading its construction law section. Before that, he spent two years reporting for the Journal Inquirer in Connecticut, solidifying his staunch support of local news. True to his jack-of-all-trades nature, he has also built and remodeled houses, worked as a fencing coach, and shelved books at a library.
Because of the breadth of DIY topics he covers, he considers himself “pretty good” at many things, and excels at finding unconventional solutions to challenges with whatever he has on hand. His PopSci stories have run the gamut from home repair to making memes and other tech tips, just to name a few of the countless topics he has covered and edited. He has also appeared on PopSci’s Ask Us Anything podcast, and has guided Best of What’s New: Home for the past three years.
Education
John graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism, as well as a minor in music. He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Daily Campus, when it won a Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists award for an in-depth series on gambling in college to which he also contributed reporting. He later earned his master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia University School of Journalism after attending part-time while working as a full-time journalist.
