Desk Notes News from the National Association of Science Writers July 15, 2020 – Vol. 2, No. 7
Coming soon to a screen near you
Our virtual ScienceWriters2020 conference will be held October 19-23, with other events throughout October. Join us online for professional development sessions organized by NASW, science briefings organized by the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, and plenty of opportunities to network and socialize. Full program information available and early bird registration opens on August 11.
Congratulations to member Nathan Pieplow, whose design was chosen in our contest to create a logo for October’s virtual ScienceWriters2020 conference. Pieplow’s submission was inspired by fall foliage and features the leaf of the Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) materializing from abstract pixels. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Diversity Reporting Grants available
NASW's newly developed Diversity Reporting Grants program will award five grants of $1,000 each to freelancers to support stories that focus on how a science- or health-related issue is affecting marginalized communities.
Summer mentoring program named in honor of David Perlman
NASW is naming our new summer virtual mentoring program the David Perlman Virtual Mentoring Program. Perlman, a longtime science writer and editor for the San Francisco Chronicle and NASW president from 1970-71, passed away on June 19 at the age of 101. He was a mentor to many in the science writing community.
Are you interested in learning more about scoring grants and fellowships? Help shape a session at this year's virtual #SciWri20 meeting by completing this brief survey.
Meet a new member
Mordechai Rorvig, a science writer and editor at Charles River Analytics and a new addition to the NASW community, shares #WhySciWri in this short Q&A.
Regional science writing groups provide a valuable sense of community—especially now. NASW members can find other writers and journalists close to home through independently organized local networks.
In its 'science after the pandemic' series, Nature asks whether the push for rapid and open publishing will permanently alter scientific publishing.
Nominate a short story
Today is the last day to nominate or self-nominate outstanding short science stories published from January to June 2020 for SciShortForm’s round-up of the best shortform science writing.
In her new book, The Great Indoors, Emily Anthes explores the science of how buildings shape our behavior, health, and happiness. Read about how the book came to fruition in "Advance Copy," a column by Lynne Lamberg.
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