The winner of the 1999 Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award, an annual prize for young science journalists, is Kathryn S. Brown. She received the award and its $1000 prize for an entry of four stories: "Listen we're different", an article about cicadas in New Scientist; "Love sick," about the biology of romance, also in New Scientist; "Mending Broken Genes" in Popular Science; and "Are you ready for a new sensation?" in Scientific American Presents.
The panel of judges cited Brown for her ability to convey the drama of new discoveries by presenting them as scientific detective stories, as well as for stylish writing that clearly explained difficult subjects.
The judges also awarded an Honorable Mention to Barbara Moran for a captivating story in Invention & Technology, entitled, "A Bridge That Didn't Collapse." The judges were impressed by the unusual choice of topics (why a bridge in Maine didn't suffer the same fate as the infamous Galloping Gertie in Washington State) and by the article's depth, breadth, and clarity. Moran will receive a $500 prize in addition to the traditional plaque.
The awards will be presented by the Evert Clark Fund and the National Association of Science Writers, in conjunction with the National Press Foundation. The ceremony will take place on February 19, 2000 at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. at the annual National Association of Science Writers banquet. The banquet is held during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Judges for the 1998 award were science writer Liz Pennisi of Science; physicist Bob Park of the University of Maryland and the American Physical Society; Bill Cook, retired science and technology writer for Newsweek and US News; Mary Hanson, head of media relations for the National Science Foundation; and science correspondent Dick Thompson of Time magazine.
The Clark/Payne Award is intended to encourage young science writers by recognizing outstanding reporting in all fields of science. It is given each year in memory of journalists Ev Clark and Seth Payne, who offered friendship and advice to a generation of young reporters.
All entrants must be age 30 or younger. The deadline for submissions is in early December of each year. For more information, contact the Evert Clark Award Fund or visit the web site at: www.mindspring.com/~us009848/.