Volume 46, Number 3, Winter 1998-99

President's Letter

by Joe Palca

Joe Palca, NASW President

After six years as an officer of NASW, I now find myself president of a newly defined organization. When my predecessor Richard Harris proclaimed he was going to rewrite the NASW constitution to make it more accurately reflect what this organization is, many, including me, felt he was undertaking a Herculean task. Old-timers shuddered at the prospect of rekindling the “active” vs. “associate” wars of the past. Newcomers felt just as strongly that these labels were outmoded and needed revision. Many, including me, felt that consensus was hopeless.

We were wrong. With patience, diplomacy, wisdom and determination, Richard found his way through the issues and egos that blocked his path. The constitution is an honest, honorable reflection of what this organization is and should be: a group of people committed to fostering “the dissemination of accurate information regarding science and technology, through all media normally devoted to informing the public…[and] the interpretation of science and its meaning to society, in keeping with the highest standards of journalism.”

Richard has left an indelible mark on NASW. My major goal as his successor is not to screw things up.

Oh, all right, I’ll aim a little higher than that.

I have three goals as president: to strengthen our programs aimed at young science writers, to erect and sustain support structures for freelancers, and to make NASW membership a must for all self-respecting science writers in this country and around the world.

I believe much of what’s needed to achieve these goals is already in place. The mentoring program started by Rick Borchelt, with assistance from Sandy Blakeslee, Mariette Di Christina, A.J. Hostetler and Kelli Whitlock, is one of the NASW’s most important activities. For those of you who have given time to the program, I thank you. For those who haven’t, please consider it.

The freelance committee, led by Joel Shurkin, has already addressed many issues crucial to freelancers. Others on the freelance committee, notably Kathryn Brown, John Miller, and Beryl Benderly, have labored long and hard on behalf of freelancers’ interests. A special thanks to Tammy Powledge for organizing NASW’s response to the proposed purchase of Ingram book distributors by Barnes & Noble, a move that threatens the livelihood of many science-book writers.

Both freelancers and young science writers have been helped enormously by NASW Online. Bob Finn (with invaluable help from A’ndrea Messer) has made the Web site an outstanding resource for all science writers, newcomers as well as seasoned professionals. Likewise, the NASW workshops have dealt with topics of professional interest to all constituencies of our organization. Instituted under the leadership of my predecessor, Laurie Garrett, they have been nurtured by people like Paul Lowenberg, Carol Cruzan Morton, and others too numerous to mention. A special note of thanks is due Mary Knudson for turning Laurie Garrett’s concept into a reality.

And then there’s ScienceWriters. Lynne Friedmann has joined Howard Lewis on the editorial side of NASW’s newsletter, and together they put out an outstanding product. It provides the ultimate insiders’ view of our profession, as well as the kind of personal notes that give NASW its special character.

All of these, the newsletter, the workshops, the Web site, and the mentoring program, serve our members well. Taken together, they should make every science writer want to join NASW. But I believe that even those science writers who do not feel they can personally benefit from these activities should join NASW to underscore their commitment to the highest standards of our profession. And who knows, we staffers may have a thing or two to learn from freelancers, and even (heaven forbid) the newcomers.

Election Results 1999-2001 NASW Board Officers: Joe Palca, president; Paul Raeburn, vice president; Deborah Blum, treasurer; and Laura Van Dam, secretary. Members at Large: Beryl Lieff Benderly, Rick Borchelt, Carol Ezzell, Ira Flatow, Jon Franklin, Elaine K. Freeman, Robin Marantz Henig, Earle Holland, Robert Lee Hotz, Carol Cruzan Morton, and Joel Shurkin.

In closing, there are one or two bits of NASW news you may not have heard elsewhere. Diane McGurgan has been elevated to the exalted position of executive director of NASW. I wish I could say we were paying her an executive’s salary, but at least she now has a title that reflects her role in the organization. We’re also planning to present the NASW Science in Society Journalism Award at the NASW annual meeting. For more than 15 years, the award has been given out at the “New Horizons in Science” briefing, the seminar series sponsored by CASW. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Ben Patrusky both for serving on the judging committee and arranging the awards banquet.

Finally, as we hurtle toward January 1, 2000, I believe I can say that NASW is Y2K compliant. At least I hope so. I’m certain Diane McGurgan’s typewriter is.

Joe Palca can be reached at National Public Radio, 635 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001; phone 202-414-2776, fax 202-414-3329, e-mail jpalca@npr.org.