Kenneth Weiss, Usha Lee McFarling, and Betsy Mason Win AGU Journalism Awards

AGU Release No. 07-05
21 February 2007

Contact: Harvey Leifert
Public Information Manager
Phone: +1-202-777-7507
E-mail: hleifert@agu.org

WASHINGTON – Kenneth R. Weiss, Usha Lee McFarling, and Betsy Mason have won the American Geophysical Union’s 2007 journalism awards. This year’s awards honor three writers on issues related to natural hazards and human impacts.

The Perlman Award recognizes work published with deadline pressure of one week or less. In choosing Mason’s Contra Costa Times articles, the Perlman Award selection committee said,

Although some of the historical facts regarding the great quake may be familiar to her readers, Mason effectively wove those details into a broad narrative that included modern-day analyses of the quake that provide scientists with new insights. Beyond the well-known dangers to the region that a repeat of the 1906 quake would inflict, Mason alerted readers to a less-recognized threat: analyses suggest that a strong earthquake in northern California could devastate the system of earthen levees that surrounds and protects the city of Sacramento and a significant portion of the state’s water supply.

Mason’s winning articles may be read at http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/science/16742202.htm, …/16742197.htm, and …/16742204.htm. The winning articles, part of a longer series, were published on 17, 18, and 20 April 2006. (Under the competition rules, only three parts of a series may be entered.)

The Sullivan Award recognizes work published with lead time of more than one week. Regarding the Weiss/McFarling series, of which three articles were submitted to the competition, the Sullivan Award selection committee said it

is ambitious in scope, global in significance, and powerful in rendering judgment. It is compelling, balanced, comprehensive, and forward-looking, and at the same time disturbing, if not devastating. The reporting, blending local and global issues and themes, is excellent, and includes numerous pertinent quotations from scientists. The writing is strong and beautiful throughout, and is supported by germane, forceful graphics.

The winning articles may be read at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-me-ocean30jul30,0,952130.story, …/la-me-ocean1aug01,0,2672160.story, and …la-me-ocean3aug03,0,3589668.story. The winning articles were published 30 July and 1 and 3 August 2006.

The AGU journalism awards will be presented during Honors Evening at the Joint Assembly of AGU and 11 U.S. and Latin American scientific societies in Acapulco, Mexico, 22–25 May [http://www.agu.org/meetings/ja07/]. AGU’s Sullivan and Perlman Awards are named for Walter Sullivan, late science editor of The New York Times, and David Perlman, science editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, respectively. The awards consist of a plaque and a $2,000 stipend.

AGU is the largest organization of Earth and space scientists, with 48,000 members worldwide. One of its objectives is to encourage excellence in reporting science news to the general public, through journalism awards, mass media fellowships, communications workshops for scientists, and other programs.

Nominations for the 2008 Sullivan and Perlman Awards are welcome from all news media, except books, from any country, and in any language (with English translation). For information and the official statement of rules, see http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/sci_awards.html#sullivan. The deadline for receipt of entries for the 2008 awards is 15 November 2007.

Notes for Journalists

Contact information for award winners: