Slates of candidates for NASW offices have been proposed by two nominating committees. A committee headed by Jon Van, past president of NASW, has put forward candidates for vice-president, treasurer, secretary and the executive board. Richard Harris, now vice president and president-elect, becomes president in January. NASW members who also wish to be candidates for election to the board can do so by submitting a petition with 20 signatures of current NASW members. The petitions must reach the Administrative Secretary by October 1.
The nominees for officer positions are Joseph Palca, now treasurer, for vice president and president-elect; Paul Raeburn, now secretary, for treasurer, and Mary Knudson for secretary.
Candidates who have entered at publication time were asked to submit short biographies in a style of their own choosing, as follows.
Sandra Blakeslee
I've been covering science and medicine for the New York Times since 1968, first as staff writer and later as a contract writer (an arrangement that was convenient for raising kids.) I've written for the paper from various parts of the world including New York, Palo Alto, the Cameroons, Paris, Los Angeles and (reflecting my latest move) Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am particularly interested in getting the science writing community computerized so that we can "meet" more frequently (on-line) throughout the year. I'd like to see NASW organize more teaching sessions on how to use the Internet for researching stories and provide backup support for the continuing move into the electronic age. I've won the Westinghouse and Blakeslee awardsÑwent to Berkeley, was in Peace Corps, etc. etc.
Deborah Blum
A science writer at The Sacramento Bee, Deborah Blum has been a member of the NASW board since 1993. During that time, she and fellow board member, Mary Knudson, collaborated in bringing together science writers to create a professional guide. The resulting book, A Field Guide for Science Writers, will be published by Oxford University Press in spring 1997. Blum and Knudson also worked together, under the direction of president Laurie Garrett, in organizing NASW's new workshops for science writers. As a board member, she remains interested in developing science writing not only at a national but a regional level. In addition to her work at the Bee, for which she won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992, Blum is author of a book, The Monkey Wars, published in 1994 and is writing a book on gender biology, under contract with Viking.
Rick Borchelt
I've been White House special assistant for public affairs in the Executive Office of the President since 1995. I'm an entomologist by training with a somewhat checkered past that includes stints as a university PIO (University of Maryland College Park), director of media relations for the National Academy of Sciences and its sister agencies, and press secretary for the Science Committee of the House of Representatives during the 102nd and 103rd Congresses.
I'm a past president (1993-94) of the DC Science Writers Association, a period that saw tremendous growth in the organization and our programming. As an NASW board member for the past two years, my principal interests have been the successful mentoring program I developed for the Baltimore annual meeting (and plan for the Seattle meeting) and helping coordinate the NASW dinner and science writers party for Baltimore.
In a period of great change in the science writing profession, I'd like to continue working with NASW to find solutions to the challenges facing our community in the form of electronic communication and publishing, the changing demographics of our membership, and the increasingly commingled roles of public affairs and journalism in science writing.
Robert Cooke
A native of southern California, Robert Cooke has been a science/medicine writer at Newsday since the spring of 1986. He came to New York from the Atlanta, GA, Journal & Constitution, where he held a similar position for 18 months. Before moving to Georgia, Cooke was science editor at the Boston Globe for 11 years, from 1973 to 1984. Prior to moving to Boston, Cooke worked for the Pasadena, CA Star-News, the California Institute of Technology, the Associated Press' Los Angeles bureau, and the Pomona, CA Progress-Bulletin.
In addition to many news articles and magazine pieces, Cooke has published two books, the first on genetic engineering, the second on the eruption of Mount St. Helens. His main interests are coverage of molecular biology, geology/geophysics, space, atmospheric sciences and anthropology/archaeology.
Cooke was recipient of the 1991 Lewis Thomas Award for writing about the life sciences from the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory, the AAAS/Westinghouse Science Writing Award, the American Chemical Society's James T. Grady Award for coverage of chemistry , and twice the national media award from the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association.
At Newsday, Cooke writes regularly for the paper's science section, Discovery, and other news sections when appropriate. His principal aim as a Board member would be to expand job opportunities in science journalism, especially for young reporters.
Ira Flatow
As National Public Radio's (NPR) award-winning science correspondent for over 17 years, Flatow has also covered such major stories as the Space Shuttle and Three Mile Island. In 1979 he travelled to Antarctica for NPR. Flatow currently hosts NPR's "Talk of the Nation: Science Friday" and PBS's environment series "Earthkeeping." He writes a regular column about his hobby, saltwater fish keeping, for "Aquarium Fish Magazine." His numerous credits include six years as host and writer for the Emmy-award-winning "Newton's Apple" on PBS; science reporter for television's "CBS This Morning," and many articles. His most recent book is entitled "They All Laughed .. From Light Bulbs to Lasers: The Fascinating Stories Behind the Great Inventions That Have Changed Our Lives" (HarperCollins, New York). It followed on the heels of "Rainbows, Curve BaIls and Other Wonders of the Natural World Explained."
Flatow is a board member of the National Association of Science Writers and a double winner of the AAAS-Westinghouse science award, the only person to win for both radio and television in one year.
Catherine Foster
Director of science communications at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory since 1991, Catherine Foster is responsible for media contacts and news releases and serves as spokesperson for the laboratory. In addition, she supervises production of the laboratory's quarterly research magazine and its annual report.
From 1986 to 1991, she was senior science editor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; previously, she was chief science writer for the Arnold Engineering Development Center, part of the US Air Force.
She began writing about science in 1978 at The Oak Ridger, the Tennessee newspaper. She has also written for The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution and Newsweek.
Foster holds a bachelor of science degree in journalism and a master's degree in communications, both from the University of Tennessee, and an MBA from the Lewis University Graduate School of Management. She has also held a Fellowship in Science Journalism at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She is a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Science Writers, and serves on the Public Information Advisory Committee of the American Institute of Physics.
Lynne Timpani Friedmann
Friedmann is a San Diego-based public relations consultant representing biotechnology companies, universities, non-profit research institutions, and scientific professional associations. An NASW member since 1986, she is a frequent contributor to ScienceWriters, editing the "Our Gang" column for five years. She has co-organized science communications session at the AAAS annual meeting and conducted the AAAS news briefings at this year's meeting.
Goals for serving on the NASW board include expanding the NASW mentoring effort begun at the AAAS meeting to other major scientific meetings, collaboration with university outreach programs to underrepresented groups, and use of the Internet and World Wide Web to facilitate virtual mentoring.
Susan Gaidos
Senior science editor for Purdue University's News Service since 1987, Susan Gaidos is responsible for coordinating efforts to report science news to national news media. In addition, she covers news from life sciences, chemistry, mathematics, computer sciences, pharmacy and biomedical engineering for Purdue. The science-writing team at Purdue was awarded the Council for Advancement and Support of Education's (CASE) 1996 Gold Medal Award for Research, Medicine and Science Writing, and received the 1995 Silver Medal Award. Last year, the Purdue News Service also received a CASE Gold Medal for Overall News and Information Programs, in part for their innovative use of electronic technology. Susan helped organize the first PIO workshops held at the 1995 and 1996 AAAS meetings, where she presented information on Purdue's use of the Web and other computer-related technologies. Her interests include facilitating better communications between the science community and science journalists. She has a degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University and is working toward a degree in biology at Purdue.
Richard Harris
A science correspondent for National Public Radio in Washington, DC, Richard Harris joined the network in 1986, after a stint at The San Francisco Examiner as science writer, and, before that, at the Livermore (Calif.) Tri-Valley Herald. Richard has won numerous awards for his work, including a AAAS-Westinghouse prize, the Aviation/Space Writers Association's top space prize, a Lewis Thomas Award, a Cindy, an Armstrong, and a share of the Dupont-Columbia Silver Baton. He has served on the NASW board for eight years, including two years as Treasurer and two years as Secretary. Richard has also been involved in local science-writer organizations. He was president of the Northern California Science Writers Association (NuCkSWA), and when he moved to Washington, he co-founded the DC-area Science Writers Association (DuCkSWA). Coincidence? Believe it or not. Richard lives in suburban Maryland.
Stephen Hart
A biologist by training, Stephen Hart freelances as science writer and editor from his home office in the foothills of Washington State's Olympic mountains. The author of The Language of Animals, 1996, Scientific American Focus Books, Hart has written more than 50 magazine pieces for BioScience, Discover, Science News, and others. He has also written for Time-Life Books and others, and edited for several college textbook publishers. He completed the UC Santa Cruz Graduate Science Writing Program in 1989, including a summer internship at Science News. Awards include traveling fellowships from the American Tentative Society and the American Chemical Society, the Nate Haseltine Memorial Fellowship, and the Webster Journalism Scholarship. A member of NASW since 1989, he has been active on NASW On-line since its birth. He currently serves on the Freelance committee and the 1997 Professional Workshops committee.
If elected to the board, I would take an active role in continuing the recent push to increase awareness of and service to freelance writers and editors, especially the less experienced, who perhaps need the most help from a professional organization. I would advocate for the continued transformation of NASW into a modern professional organization, serving all its members and asserting its standing in the journalism community. Specifically, I would like to see NASW take a more active role in legal and financial issues facing writers, in fighting for fair contracts, and in establishing NASW membership as bona fide journalistic credentials. Furthermore, I would continue to foster NASW's electronic presence, attempting to bring more NASW members into electronic discussions as NASW On-line moves from CompuServe to the World Wide Web.
Earle Holland
Senior science and medical writer at Ohio State University since 1978, Earle Holland is responsible for a broad research communications program aimed at reporting science news to the national news media. His programs have won more than 50 national awards, most recently the 1994 Grand Gold award for newswriting, the third such award in the last five years. For 14 years, he wrote a weekly science and medicine column for the Columbus Dispatch and now writes a weekly science column for the New York Times Syndicate. For more than 18 years, he has taught a graduate science writing course at OSU. He has been active in conducting regional and national seminars on science and medical writing, is a member of the Society for Environmental Journalists and a longtime member of NASW, and active in the National Cancer Institute's public affairs network. He currently serves on the board of directors of NASW as well as AAAS' EurekAlert! Advisory Committee. He is a former reporter for the Birmingham (AL) News and a graduate of Auburn University. At Ohio State, he edits one medical magazine, one tabloid newspaper and three national news services.
Mary Knudson
I have worked with co-editor Deborah Blum and 36 contributing authors to put together A Field Guide for Science Writers, an official NASW book to be published by Oxford University Press early next year. The book began as an idea Deborah and I discussed four years ago as board members. Seeing it become published, written by such outstanding contributing authors, is very satisfying to us, and we are sure will be very useful to the next generation of science writers.
Also, the last two years I've co-chaired with Laurie Garrett and Deborah NASW's new annual professional program. I think it's important that NASW continues projects that serve its members' professional needs, reaches out to students and cooperates with other writers' organizations on matters vital to the welfare of all writers.
I'm immediate past president of the DC Science Writers Association, was a journalism fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Marine Biological Laboratory, spent 21 years as a staff writer for The Baltimore Sun, and once won the NASW Science-in-Society Award.
I'm told that, if elected, I would be the first free-lance writer to serve as an officer of NASW. It's about time. I'm happy to work for the needs of freelance writers, and for the last four years I've done a freelance writing column in ScienceWriters. But, as an officer, I would work not only for one group, but try to represent NASW members across the board.
Lynn Nystrom
Director of news and external relations for the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, Lynn Nystrom has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Radford University and has completed all her coursework for a master's degree in Science, Technology Studies at Virginia Tech. She worked on a newspaper for three years, starting as reporter and finishing as editor and general manager (1973-76). On Virginia Tech's public relations staff for the past 19 years, she has received numerous awards from the Virginia Press Women (VPW) and the National Federation of Press Women, the 1995 Distinguished Service Award from VPW, and numerous other recognitions of her contributions to the school. She will serve as VPW's nominee for the Communicator of Achievement Award--to be named by the National Federation of Press Women in June 1996. She received the President's Award for Excellence from Virginia Tech in 1991 and Virginia Tech's Adviser of the Year Award for 1995. She coordinated a number of special, one-time events for the College of Engineering, including The Professional Women's Lecture Series; The Science Writers' Seminar Series; the New Horizons in Science Briefings, 1983; and the Writer-in-Residence Program, a first for a US college of engineering, 1985-86. She taught science communication to middle- and high-school students attending the College of Engineering's Academic Enrichment Camps from 1980-1993; and will host the 1997 New Horizons in Science Briefings.
Joe Palca
Presently a science correspondent with National Public Radio, Joe Palca has been a full time science journalist since 1985, working in television, print and now radio. As a member of NASW's board, he was responsible for creating NASW's on-line presence, first with the American Chemical Society, then on CompuServe, and most recently on the Internet. As treasurer for the past four years, he has kept NASW on a sound financial course. He is committed to using the offices of NASW to help freelance writers resolve professional issues, such as contract disputes, and will try to expand NASW's efforts to help young journalists advance their professional careers.
Paul Raeburn
A senior editor at Business Week, Paul Raeburn is responsible for directing coverage of science, technology, medicine and the environment.
He is the author of The Last Harvest: The Genetic Gamble That Threatens To Destroy American Agriculture, which will appear in paperback in October, 1996. His nearly 100 freelance articles have appeared in Popular Science, The New York Times, Vogue, Allure, American Health, Technology Review and other newspapers and magazines.
Raeburn is a recipient of the Science-in-Society Award of the National Association of Science Writers, the John P. McGovern Award for Excellence in Medical Communications from the American Medical Writers Association, and an excellence-in-reporting award from the Associated Press Managing Editors. He was awarded a journalism fellowship at Stanford University in 1980, and he has been science writer in residence at the University of Wisconsin. He currently serves as secretary of the National Association of Science Writers and treasurer of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing.
Before joining Business Week in January, 1996, Raeburn was science editor and chief science correspondent of the Associated Press, where he worked for 15 years. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received a bachelor's degree in physics. Before joining the AP, he worked for the Boston Phoenix and the Lowell Sun.
A native of Detroit, Raeburn is a pianist and an avid jazz fan.
Joel Shurkin
The former science writer at Stanford University News Service, Joel Shurkin is the founder of the science journalism internship at Stanford. He was for ten years a science writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer and was part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for covering Three Mile Island. He is the author of eight books and presently is working on two more, freelancing from Santa Cruz, Calif. He is married to NASW member Carol Howard.
Shurkin is the chairman of the NASW Freelance Committee and, along with the other members of the committee, has fought successfully to get changes in freelance contracts with several major publishers and publications.
Laura Van Dam
Now a senior editor at Technology Review, I've solicited, edited, and written articles for the magazine for ten years, and have previous experience as a newspaper and magazine reporter. I've been an NASW member since 1988. One of two coordinators of the New England Science Writers group for eight years, this past year I helped revamp it into a board-run organization. I've also twice judged the print categories of what are now called the AAAS Science Journalism Awards.
Interested in helping NASW promote quality science journalism, I'm organizing an effort to expand our membership among on-line science reporters, a number of whom may have entered the field through nontraditional avenues. I'd also like NASW to develop seminars to encourage editors and producers who are timid of covering science to delve into the fieldÑsuccessfully. And unfortunately for those in my personal life, I'm not inclined to run out of ideas or energy as far as science journalism is concerned.
John Wilkes
I have been teaching science writing since 1976 (NASW vice president and NPR science reporter Richard Harris was one of my first students). I founded the graduate program in science writing at UC Santa Cruz in 1981, after running a similar program at MIT for the two years before that.
My program specializes in practical training in science writing, not in communications research. I've graduated about 150 science writers, nearly all of whom are earning a living writing for the public about science. My former students write and edit for newspapers; consumer magazines as well as trade, society and alumni magazines; university and government lab news offices; and museums and aquariums, among other markets. About half of them freelance. While none of my graduates has yet earned a place on Fortune's list of wealthiest Americans--so far as I know--a growing number of them are supporting home mortgages and babies on their income from science writing.
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