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You won’t find a website for most of these shadowy, mysterious groups with names like “VSG” and “the Posse.” They’ve been compared to terrorist cells, secret societies, and tribes; membership is highly selective and tightly controlled. Fortunately, these groups are comprised of science writers (and the occasional editor), not terrorists. At ScienceWriters2013, four science writers explained the benefits of forming these so-called “tribes.”

What’s Courtney Love have to do with science writing? Well, she’s the poster child for the perils of defamatory speech on social media. (She recently settled for $430,000 after a series of online slurs appeared in her Twitter feed.) At a Saturday afternoon session on social media and the law, the panel’s take-home message was simple: No matter how short the story, you’re not exempt from legal challenge.

Three science communicators from government agencies shared savvy strategies for communicating science research to the public and policy makers on Saturday afternoon at ScienceWriters2013 in Gainesville, FL. Although they were talking about their experiences promoting federally-funded research, their tips proved valuable to anyone — public information officers, scientists, or educators — involved in science outreach and communication.

NASW is deeply troubled by recent incidents regarding offensive language and sexual harassment in the science writing community. We support those who have taken steps to address this problem, including individuals who, at significant personal risk, brought incidents forward to cast light on an insidious problem that clearly infects professional relationships not only in our own community but across our entire society. Read full statement

President Ron Winslow convened the NASW membership meeting at 8:14 a.m., on Oct. 27, 2012, in Raleigh, N.C., even as Hurricane Sandy churned off the Atlantic coast a bit to our south and meteorologists warned that a “Frankenstorm” could envelop a third of the eastern U.S. before Halloween. Hardy science writers dug into breakfast, fortifying themselves for the business and weather ahead.

The winners of the 2013 Science in Society Journalism Awards, sponsored by the National Association of Science Writers, are: In the Book category, David Quammen; in the Science Reporting category, Douglas Fox; in the Longform category, Patricia Callahan, Sam Roe and Michael Hawthorne; in the Science Reporting for a Local or Regional Audience category, Hillary Rosner; and in the Commentary or Opinion category, Christie Aschwanden.