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February 2003 NewsletterNCSWA BOARD NEWS The NCSWA Board chose as President Mary Miller, a webcast producer, multimedia developer and senior science writer at the Exploratorium. Mary recently led a team of videographers, writers, and technical producers on an expedition in Antarctica. She also has published freelance articles in New Scientist, Smithsonian, Discovery Online, Stanford Medicine, and The Sciences. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz. She is coauthor of the book “Watching Weather” (Henry Holt, 1999). And, she can be contacted at marym@exploratorium.edu. Outgoing President Sally Stephens wanted to devote more time to book writing and to her new position (unpaid, unfortunately) as Director of Communications for San Francisco Dog Owners Group (SFDOG), a non-profit dedicated to preserving and expanding safe, responsible, off-leash access for dogs in San Francisco and surrounding communities. Among other activities, SFDOG organizes and sponsors park cleanups and its members are strong advocates of responsible dog ownership. NCSWA Board Members have agreed to take on the following positions:
NEW BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED If you’ve ever thought, “NCSWA should…” “Wouldn’t it be great if…” “Someone should…” it’s time to get involved. We welcome new board members and the fresh ideas they can bring. The “NCSWA in 2002” section below gives you an idea of the types of projects Board members have worked on in the past year. At-large Board members help out with projects of interest to them. We particularly need someone willing to act as Secretary (which involves taking notes at board meetings) and somone to coordinate the Job Line (see below for more information). So what do you say? The NCSWA Board is a friendly bunch and it’s a great way to meet your fellow science writers. If interested, please contact Mary Miller or any other board member.
After many years of hard work, Sheila Stavish has decided to step down as coordinator of the NCSWA Job Line. Sheila has done a tremendous job, and there is really no way for all the NCSWAns who got jobs, both part-time and full-time, through the job line to thank her enough. She has truly served her fellow science writers. Of course, that means we need to find a new person to coordinate the Job Line. Here’s how it works. Anyone looking for a writer, editor, PIO, or other communications specialist sends notice to the Job Line coordinator, who then bulk e-mails the job announcement to people who have signed up for the Job Line (the service is only available to NCSWA members). There is no charge to those who list the jobs nor to those who receive the job listings. Both part-time and full-time positions are listed on the Job Line. It is also a great place to find freelance assignments. The Job Line coordinator maintains the e-mail list of Job Line recipients, receives job announcements from prospective employers, and pulls science-writing jobs from sources such as monster.com and Craig’s List (this can be done via automatic filters) for distribution to Job Line recipients. The Job Line coordinator works out of his or her home or office. The NCSWA Job Line is one of the most important services we provide to our members. Indeed, several Board members report having found up to 90 percent of their freelance jobs through the Job Line. We need someone to become Job Line Coordinator. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about what jobs are out there, this is a great way to find out. If you’ve gotten jobs through the Job Line, this is a great way to repay the service. So how about it? If you’re interested, contact Mary Miller, or any of the other NCSWA Board member. NSCWA IN 2002 In November, NCSWA organized a daylong workshop on freelance writing. Successful freelancers Michael Bowker and NCSWA’s own Jane Stevens offered advice to attendees and regaled them with stories from their own careers. Break-out panels focused on getting articles in national magazines, publishing books, writing for new media, and the legal and financial aspects of freelancing. Attendees commented that the workshop was one of the most informative and useful they had ever attended. NCSWA covered the costs of the workshop, held at San Francisco State University, which enabled us to charge a nominal fee to attendees, ensuring it was open to all interested people. A more detailed description of the workshop is given in the Winter 2002-2003 issue of the National Association of Science Writers newsletter “ScienceWriters.” Earlier this month, NCSWA co-sponsored “Smart Maps, Public Satellites: New Tools for Reporting,” a day-long workshop for reporters that included a tutorial on using satellite images and maps in your work. Because of the financial support of NCSWA, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Online News Association, the organizer of the workshop, the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, was able to offer it free of charge to attendees. Our quarterly dinners have brought information on a wide variety of topics to NCSWA members. In the past year, researchers discussed their work on: low-dose radiation and breast cancer; diet, genes and heart disease; and predicting earthquakes. We took over the pool tables at Jillian’s in San Francisco’s Metreon entertainment center for our annual holiday dinner. NCSWA board members are already hard at work trying to come up with ideas for dinner speakers, field trips, and workshops you will enjoy throughout the coming year. If you have any suggestions, please let Mary Miller or any of the other board members know. If you haven’t already, be sure to bookmark the NCSWA website. The site includes information on upcoming NCSWA events, as well as links to sites of interest to science writers. MEMBER NEWS The American Institute of Physics has awarded its 2002 Andrew Gemant Award for communicating physics to Michael Riordan, adjunct professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Riordan is being honored for his teaching and writing, which explain physics concepts and history so that they are accessible to a wide audience. A citation accompanying the award says, "Riordan's work has enhanced the public's appreciation of physics as a source of beneficial applications and as an integral part of our intellectual life." Riordan has chosen to use some of the prize money to fund a fellowship at UCSC to support a student in the university’s Science Communication Program's science writing track. Robin Mejia was recently awarded a 2003 Soros Media Justice Fellowship. In the coming year, she'll report on one of the least understood causes of wrongful convictions, problems with scientific evidence. She will examine a variety of forensics practices, look at proposals to improve the accuracy of police labs, and tell the stories of those sent to prison because of poor quality or fraudulent science. Beth Martin is now the Communications Manager for the Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research (QB3), one of four California Institutes for Science and Innovation. QB3 includes researchers on three campuses: UC San Francisco, UC Berkeley, and UC Santa Cruz. The mission of QB3 is to foster collaborative projects between the investigators on the three campuses and to help funnel research discoveries into commercial development. Tim DeRoche is producing and hosting "Masters of Science", a TV show that will feature interviews with prominent scientists in Southern California. Funded by the Riordan Foundation, the show will air on LA's Channel 36, the local educational channel. The first episode will air in late February. Tim is also currently serving as President of the Los Angeles Examiner, a new weekly newspaper in LA that is being started by the former mayor of Los Angeles, Dick Riordan. The paper will launch in early June. Finally, he is working with a team of producers and scientists to gain funding for "SchoolMates", a children's show focusing on the history of technology around the world. The team has submitted a grant proposal to the National Science Foundation. Contact info for DeRoche is timderoche@yahoo.com, or 323-666-5256. Larry O’Hanlon writes that “I recently followed through with a long family tradition and got myself licensed as a real estate agent. It's very much a side-business for me, since I'm a writer first and foremost. As an agent I only represent friends and family, but if any NCSWAns are looking for help making sense of a real estate situation, I might be able to help. Of course, I wouldn't turn away any members looking for property in the Sacramento area or Sierra foothills. Just call or write larryo@nasw.org, 530-886-8271.” What are the three safest, steel-framed buildings in San Francisco to occupy during a major earthquake? If you’re interested in preparing this type of story for publication, please contact NCSWA member Gil Davis of the Center for Investigative Reporting, Inc. of San Francisco. (CIR is a 25-year-old non-profit that produces PBS Frontline documentaries and many other journalistic products.) Writes Davis, “I’ve researched and written extensively about the ‘fatal flaw’ that exists in most of the thousands of steel-framed buildings constructed up and down the West Coast during the past 35 or so years. Now it’s time to stop writing for structural engineers and get the word out to the public.” He said the problem stems from both faulty and non-existent scientific research. Davis says he’ll be glad to provide both sources and information to anyone who wants to research this important story. For more information, contact Davis at 650-218-6584 or gildavis@pacbell.net. Additional information is also available at CIR’s website. (Please note that Davis’s stories were checked for technical accuracy by key structural engineers prior to publication.) San Francisco literary agent (and NCSWA member) Ted Weinstein recently sold his client Michael Stocker's popular science book to the University of California Press. "Hear Where We Are: Reawakening to the Sensuality of Sound" is both a natural history of sound and a lyrical investigation of the physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of sound perception. The author is a Bay Area acoustical engineer, musician and naturalist. Lynn Yarris wrote the 2002 annual report for Varian Medical Systems which tells all about the science and technology behind IMRT, a new cancer radiotherapy that is achieving some truly spectacular results. The report will soon be on their Website at http://www.varian.com. David Orenstein wrote earlier last year that he “quit my staff writer job at Business 2.0 at the end of January to enroll as a full-time Physics student at San Francisco State University. I'm looking to make the transition from technology/business writing to true science writing.” Flash! Bruce Goldman's daughter, Eva, took first place in the 7th-grade behavioral division (where all the action is) of the Discovery Center School science fair with her stunning controlled experiment on the compost-noshing preferences of Eisenia foetida , a.k.a. redworms. Having garnered results that she deemed "absurd," the young scientist commenced to pen a discussion section, replete with a daring new testable hypothesis, that would have brought tears to a Saddam statue's eyes. A team led by Jeff Kahn, head of online information at UC Berkeley, this week launched NewsCenter, a daily news portal for the University. The daily news site includes a "Critic's Choice" highlighting upcoming events for the coming week on the Berkeley campus, webcasts of these events, publishes breaking news throughout the day, and offers regular multimedia features. MEMBER BOOKS Earlier last year, Judith Horstman sent word that her “new book is "Overcoming Arthritis: How to Relieve Pain and Restore Mobility Through a Unique Tai Chi Program," published in May by Dorling-Kindersley simultaneously in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. Co-author Paul Lam, MD, is an Australian family practitioner and tai chi master. The authors wanted to title the book "Tai Chi for Arthritis" - the real subject, and the title of Dr. Lam's best-selling video - but simplicity failed to convince marketing wonks at DK.” Robert Aquinas McNally's latest book, Voyages of the Pyramid Builders: The True Origins of the Pyramids from Lost Egypt to Ancient America, was published by Tarcher/Putnam in January 2003. Co-authored with Boston University geologist Robert M. Schoch, the book shows how the pyramids in Egypt, the Middle East, South and Southeastern Asia, and the Americas are less coincidences than evidence of an unexpected level of contact and cultural exchange between early civilizations. Kirkus Reviews describes the book as "as entertaining as science writing gets." The book appeared in late 2002 in Germany as Die Weltreisen der Pyramidenbauer from Zweitausendeins and will be published in Spain later this year by Grupo Anaya. Robert Adler's new book, "Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation," was published by Wiley & Sons in September, 2002. It presents 35 major scientific advances from the first scientific questions asked by the ancient Greeks to the cloning of Dolly the Sheep. If anyone would like to review the book, even as reader's review on Amazon.com or BN.com, they can contact him (adler@nasw.org) and he'll have Wiley & Sons send a review copy. He's also hard at work on a similar book on landmark medical discoveries, also for Wiley. If all goes well, that one should appear towards the end of '03. David Schwartz's latest children's book, "Millions to Measure," will be out in late February or early March. With pictures by Steven Kellogg (who also illustrated David's first book, How Much Is a Million, a 1985 release that has become a classic in the world of children's non-fiction), Millions to Measure explores various ways of measuring distance, mass and volume. It makes a big pitch for the superiority of the metric system. Perfect for any 1st through 4th grader who wants to be kilometers ahead of the average American child (or adult) in understanding how measurement works, and doesn't work. Millions to Measure has already received a glowing (starred) review in Booklist, the American Library Association's journal. Here is how the review ends: "The froth of fun that lightens this book’s educational intent may help American children absorb their centimeters and kilometers with relative ease. In fact, the more generous among them may want to share this book with their metrically challenged parents." "Q Is for Quark," David's most recent book (prior to Millions to Measure), was recently named a "Best Book of the Year" by the National Science Teachers Association and a Smithsonian Notable Book. All of David's books can be ordered through his website, www.davidschwartz.com. Or send him an email at david@davidschwartz.com, and he'll tell you the price of the book(s) you're interested in so you can send a check. All books will be personalized and autographed to the recipient(s) of your choice. UPCOMING FELLOWSHIPS, WORKSHOPS, WORK OPPORTUNITIES KITP Journalist in Residence Program (from a brochure) The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara is delighted to announce the commencement of our Journalist in Residence program. As of the present, we are accepting applications from journalists and science writers to spend up to 5 months during 2003 at the KITP as a Journalist Fellow. The purpose of this program is to promote excellence in scientific journalism by bringing journalists, science writers and science editors in contact with physicists working at the frontiers of science, and by educating physicists on how to communicate their science to the general public. A description of the program along with the necessary application procedures can be found at KITP’s website http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to receive fliers and future updates about this program, you can contact either the KITP Director, David Gross, at gross@kitp.ucsb.edu or Sarah Vaughan at svaughan@kitp.ucsb.edu. Knight Science Journalism Fellowships at MIT (from a brochure) As a Knight Fellow, you’ll have your choice of classes from leading researchers at both MIT and Harvard – and from scholars who examine society’s interactions with science and technology. With approval, you can work on a journalistic project. Knight Fellows also participate in exclusive twice-a-week seminars with top researchers. Spouses and partners may take classes and participate in Knight activities. Knight Fellows receive a stipend of $45,000 for the nine-month academic year, tuition waiver and expense-paid field trips. For eligibility requirements and to download an application form, visit http://web.mit.edu/knight-science or e-mail the director, Boyce Rensberger at boyce@mit.edu. Telephone 617-253-3442. Applications must be received by March 1. Marine Biological Laboratory Science Journalism Program, Woods Hole (from a brochure) For more than 113 years, the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts has been the summer home of experimental biology. The MBL Science Journalism Program provides professional science reporters with a chance to immerse themselves in the process of basic biomedical and environmental research. All MBL Science Journalism Fellows participate in one of two intensive week-long Hands-On Laboratory Courses. Some Fellows will then stay at MBL for an additional one to seven weeks to do field research with ecologists from the MBL’s Ecosystems Center or to follow the lectures and laboratory sessions of advanced courses in such disciplines as embryology, microbiology, physiology, parasitology, molecular evolution, and neurobiology. For more information, see http://www.mbl.edu/sjp. Application deadline is March 3, 2003. The Knight Center for Specialized Journalism (from a brochure) The Knight Center for Specialized Journalism is a premier national program with a 14-year track record of offering free top-quality seminars for reporters, editors and editorial writers. Fellowship participants meet like-minded colleagues, get grounded in a new assignment or rekindle enthusiasm for a long-time beat. Seminars are held at the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, University of Maryland, Inn and Conference Center. For more information, including a list of upcoming seminars: http://www.knightcenter.umd.edu. American Institute of Physics 2003 Science Writing Award The AIP is asking people to submit entries for their 2003 Science Writing Award, given in the following categories: journalist, scientist, children’s, and broadcast media. Entries must arrive no later than March 1, 2003. For more information and an entry form, see http://www.aip.org/aip/writing/ AAAS Pacific Division Meeting June 15-19, 2003 San Francisco The Pacific Division and its affiliated societies will hold their 84th annual meeting on the campus of the San Francisco State University, with several programs held at the California Academy of Sciences as part of their 150th anniversary celebration. Membership in AAAS or its affiliated societies is not required to participate in the meeting. For more information about the meeting, and registration information, see: http://www.sou.edu/aaaspd/SF2003/SF.html ASJA Writers Conference May 3-4, 2003 New York City For those of you planning to travel back east this spring, the American Society of Journalists and Authors is sponsoring a writers conference titled: Meeting the Challenge: How to Survive and Thrive in Today’s Market. The conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 42nd Street at Grand Central Station, New York City. Space is limited, so register soon. You do not have to be a member of ASJA to attend. For more information, see: http://www.asja.org/wc/wc.php |
