Elise Andrew

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Elise Andrew – Life, Career, and Legacy

Elise Andrew (born 1989) is a British science communicator and blogger best known for founding IFLScience. Read her biography, major controversies, achievements, and impact on popular science.

Introduction

Elise Andrew is a British blogger, science communicator, and digital media entrepreneur who rose to prominence as the founder of I F*ing Love Science** (later rebranded as IFLScience). Through social media, she brought scientific trivia, discoveries, and visuals to a mainstream audience, helping bridge the gap between scientific content and general audiences. Her work has sparked both celebration and criticism, but her influence on how science is communicated online is undeniable.

Early Life and Education

Elise Andrew was born in 1989 in the United Kingdom. Long Melford, Suffolk in England.

She went on to study at the University of Sheffield, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2012.

Career & Achievements

Founding I F***ing Love Science / IFLScience

In March 2012, Elise Andrew launched a Facebook page called I F*ing Love Science**. She has said that the idea arose from her habit of collecting bizarre scientific facts and images and wanting a place to share them.

Within months, the page gained over 1,000 likes. By September 2012, it had passed 1 million likes.

Because of its reach, Andrew and her site team began producing content at scale for IFLScience. In 2020, the site and brand were acquired by LabX Media Group, and Andrew stepped back from the CEO role.

Public Speaking & Media Activities

Andrew has participated in science communication conferences and events globally. Discovery Communications to develop a video series for the site.

Her media presence increased her visibility; she appeared in outlets like Cosmopolitan and on shows such as CBS This Morning.

Andrew was also recognized with the Stamford Raffles Award (from the Zoological Society of London) for her public engagement with science. Forbes in their “30 Under 30 – Media” list.

Controversies & Criticism

While Elise Andrew’s success in popular science was impressive, her journey was not without critique. Her site, particularly in its earlier iterations, faced allegations of:

• Plagiarism and uncredited use of images/infographics: Several cases surfaced of photos or graphics used without attribution or permission.

• Misleading or false content: Critics pointed out that some posts oversimplified or misrepresented scientific findings, and that corrections were rarely issued.

• Attribution and copyright lapses: Scientific photographers and creators accused IFLScience of improper reuse of their work to drive traffic.

These criticisms prompted discussions about the tension between viral science content and rigorous attribution and fact-checking.

Personal Life & Public Persona

Elise Andrew is married to Jake Rivett, whom she wed in September 2013. London, though in earlier bios she is noted as working out of Ontario, Canada (likely during a relocation period).

Her online persona is enthusiastic, playful, and accessible. She positioned IFLScience as a celebration of wonder and curiosity, rather than as a formal science journalism platform.

Legacy & Influence

Elise Andrew’s influence lies chiefly in how she helped shape digital science popularization:

• She demonstrated how social media can scale science outreach to mass audiences.

• She popularized a format: short, visual, shareable science “snippets” intended to spark curiosity.

• Her model inspired many spin-off science meme pages, educational content creators, and social media communicators.

• Even amid critique, her brand showed that science content could be profitable and sustainable in new media ecosystems.

While purists may debate her rigor, her reach and impact on public perceptions of science in the digital age are significant.

Lessons & Takeaways

1. Audiences crave wonder
   Andrew capitalized on the public’s appetite for the curious, the strange, the visually striking in science.

2. Scale demands responsibility
   Rapid growth required stronger editorial standards—her experience underscores the importance of attribution, correction, and accuracy.

3. Science communication is evolving
   Her model is a case study in how science can be mediated through platforms rather than journals.

4. Branding matters
   By creating a strong, memorable brand (IFLScience), she made science accessible in popular culture.

5. Risk and critique accompany influence
   Popularity invites scrutiny; the balance between reach and credibility is delicate.

Conclusion

Elise Andrew’s journey as a science communicator is emblematic of the digital age: energetic, expansive, and contested. She built one of the most prominent online science platforms and reshaped how many people encounter science on social media. Her work provokes an ongoing conversation about the balance of engagement and rigor in scientific content.