Wellcome Science Writing Prize awarded
The Wellcome Trust's inaugural Science Writing Prize was awarded tonight (12 October) at a ceremony at the Wellcome Collection in London.
The winners were Penny Sarchet, science journalist and doctoral student at the University of Oxford (in the professional scientists/postgraduate level category) and Tess Shellard, a charity sector worker (in the non-professional scientists/undergraduate category).
Sir Mark Walport, director of the Wellcome Trust, said that some 800 submissions were received. Science is not boring, but it can be communicated in a boring way, he told the attendees, adding that the entries show that science can also be communicated in a very interesting way.
Wellcome insiders told ABSW that there was an unexpectedly high number of entries – it swamped the small judging team, which had to be expanded. There were both good and bad articles, insiders said, but the judges were looking for something that they would like to read in a newspaper.
Fifteen writers were shortlisted in each category – they were all winners, said one of the speakers, to make it onto the shortlist, given the large number of entries. Alan Rusbridger, the editor of The Guardian, said whatever new economic model the media ends up adopting, there will always be a place for writers who can communicate science in an entertaining and accessible way.
Some of the shortlisted writers said they were considering a career in writing, or combining scientific research with science communication. The winning articles will be published in The Guardian or The Observer and their authors will each receive £1000. The prize is given in association with The Guardian and The Observer.
ABSW runs science writers' awards for professional journalists, with the aim of rewarding excellence in science journalism. The awards ran continuously from 1966 to 2007, with the support of a variety of sponsors. Over the years the awards became known as the 'Oscars' of science writing, and served as a model for similar schemes all over the world. With support from Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, ABSW re-established the awards in 2010 and has secured support for the awards for at least the next four years.
