Writing science and engineering for the lay reader

NCSA´s (National Center for Supercomputing Applications) monthly newsletter, Access, is described. This newsletter is NCSA´s major external communication to inform users, potential users, and sponsoring agencies about multidisciplinary research and technology produced through the NCSA´s facilities; it also describes the Center´s activities, services, and products. Since the newsletter audience ranges widely in background, a modified feature style of writing aimed at the lay reader is used. Thus, readers can keep abreast of developments in supercomputing and computational science and engineering. It is argued that, in environments that offer daily contact with technical workers and concepts where technical professionals review newsletter articles, nontechnical professionals degreed in journalism or English can explain science and engineering to the lay reader.<>