ABSW member European Science Journalist of the Year 2025

Helen Pearson, journalist and editor for Nature and ABSW member, won the European Science Journalist of the Year award for 2025. Michael Peel, Financial Times’ science editor and also ABSW member, was the first runner-up. The third place went to Jonas Reese and Christopher Weingart, a joint entry nominated by the German association Wissenschaftspressekonferenz (WPK). 

The announcement was made by the European Federation for Science Journalism at a joint event with the Swiss Academy of Arts and Sciences held in Bern, Switzerland, on 24 October 2025. 

The award recognises and promotes excellence and innovation in science journalism across Europe, with nominations coming from national science journalism associations or as individual entries. This year’s award is sponsored by Elsevier. The first-place winner was awarded a prize of €1,000; second- and third-place winners received €500 each.

“Looking at the prize-winning projects from across Europe gives us a unique opportunity to see how colleagues in different countries approach similar challenges — how they analyse evidence, communicate complex research, and engage their audiences,” said Dr Astrid Viciano, Vice President of the EFSJ, during the ceremony.

Helen Pearson was "very surprised (and honoured!) to win the European Science Journalist of the Year Award". Her entry included three Nature Magazine features about the importance and challenges of using evidence from research: 

• Science could solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Why aren’t governments using it?
• Can AI review the scientific literature — and figure out what it all means?  
• The science of protests: how to shape public opinion and swing votes

In 2025, the ABSW covered the entry fee for any of its members wishing to make an entry to the Award.  In total, eight ABSW members entered.