The Conversation, first launched in Australia in 2011, is an independent news organization that actively seeks and supports academics who apply their expertise to write accessible, engaging articles on newsworthy topics. The Conversation US, launched in 2014, accounts for a growing proportion of The Conversation’s total readership. With funding from the Rita Allen Foundation, The Conversation US has built an editorial team for science and technology, expanding the volume and reach of its content and growing its network of contributors and partner institutions. The team has placed a special focus on working with a new cadre of early-career scientists from U.S. universities. These researchers gain valuable experience with communicating their work to the public, thanks to The Conversation’s collaborative editing process, which includes a content management system that automatically flags overly complex language. Crucially, The Conversation’s content is Creative Commons-licensed, allowing anyone, including popular news sites such as The Washington Post, Slate, Quartz and The Huffington Post, to republish articles at no cost, thus reaching more than 7 million readers each month.