Members elected AAAS fellows

Marcia Bartusiak, A'ndrea Messer, William Hammack, and David Perlman join the growing ranks of NASW members honored as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

 

Marcia Bartusiak, A'ndrea Messer, William Hammack, and David Perlman join the growing ranks of NASW members honored as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Marcia Bartusiak becomes a AAAS fellow for her "exceptionally clear communication of the rich history, the intricate nature, and the modern practice of astronomy to the public at large." Bartusiak is currently a visiting professor with the graduate program in science writing at MIT. She is the author of Thursday's Universe, a layman's guide to the frontiers of astrophysics; Through a Universe Darkly, a history of astronomers' quest to discover the universe's composition; and Einstein's Unfinished Symphony, about the on-going attempt to detect gravity waves, the last experimental test of Einstein's theory of general relativity. All three were named notable science books by The New York Times. Her latest book is The Day We Found the Universe, a narrative history on the discovery of the modern cosmos.

Bartusiak's journalism career spans three decades and began at a TV station in Norfolk, Vir. Assignments at the nearby NASA Langley Research Center sparked a love for science news, which encouraged her to return to college for a master's degree in physics.

William Hammack, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Illinois, was lauded "for distinguished contributions in communicating science, technology, and engineering to the public through his public radio work on Marketplace and through his service as a U.S. diplomat." In over 300 radio pieces Hammack has explored the technological world revealing the secrets of his high-tech underwear, the mysteries of mood rings, the perils of nanotechnology, and the threats to privacy from technology. Hammack's work emphasizes the human dimension to technology — from the trial, tribulations, and triumphs of inventors and scientists to the effect of technology on our daily lives.

Hammack is a regular commentator for American Public Media's business show Marketplace, for Illinois Public Radio, and for Radio National Australia's Science Show. Among top awards he's received are: the National Association of Science Writers Science in Society Award, American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, and American Chemical Society's Grady-Stack Medal. He is also a fellow of the American Physical Society.

A'ndrea Elyse Messer, senior science and research information officer at Pennsylvania State University becomes an AAAS fellow in recognition of her "exceptional performance as a science communications officer in translating and disseminating research findings, mentoring science writers and scientists, and improving public understanding of science."

When Messer joined the Penn State, she was the first science writer in the public information office in 17 years. She writes about engineering, the earth sciences, physical sciences and occasionally on the life sciences. A PIO for the past 27 years, she has been a science writer for 32 years. She edited 11 quarterly review journals on chemistry, environmental science, and pharmacology (all at once), agricultural book translations, wrote technical documentation for Bell Labs, and was a reporter for the Attleboro Sun Chronicle. She has a B.A. in science and culture (chemistry) from Purdue, an M.S. in journalism: science communications from Boston University, an M.A. in anthropology from Penn State, and is completing a Ph.D. in anthropology/archaeology.

David Perlman, science editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, was honored "for outstanding journalism achievements over a half-century that informed the public of science advancements and set the standard by which science writing should be judged."

Still a news reporter at the age of 90, Perlman's daily efforts have brought knowledge and news to countless millions of readers, guiding them through the complex fields of chemistry, astronomy, cosmology, paleontology, seismology, and more additional "ologies" than most would care to count. At the same time, the accuracy, context, and thoroughness of his ongoing reporting have earned him the applause and respect of the hundreds of researchers whose work he has covered over the years.

A Columbia University journalism grad, Perlman never strayed far from his basic vision of what a newspaperman should be. An overview of Perlman's reporting reads like a chronology of scientific advances for the last 50 years. His coverage of areas such as nuclear energy and arms control, health care and the environment, serve as models for other journalists. The number of American science writers who aspire to emulate his success in some small way is legion.

Perlman's contributions to American science writing are equally as great, ranging from his past president of NASW and continuing role on the CASW board, to his continuing mentorship of young science writers, some of whom have gone to on to earn their own accolades as science writers, a lasting legacy of Perlman's devotion to the field.

(NASW members can read the rest of the Spring 2009 ScienceWriters by logging into the members area.)

May 8, 2009

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