Congratulations to Carl Zimmer

Carl Zimmer

NCSE offers its congratulations to Carl Zimmer for winning the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award for 2009 in the large newspaper category. Zimmer will receive $3000 and a plaque at the AAAS Annual Meeting in San Diego in February 2010, in recognition of three articles on aspects of genetics and evolution he wrote for The New York Times in 2008 and 2009. A press release issued on November 10, 2009, explained:

The judges applauded the graceful style and breadth of Zimmer's entry. From the biology of fireflies to the evolution of viruses to the secrets of RNA, Zimmer "finds fresh and original ways to introduce readers to complex basic science," said Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press. "His beautiful writing hooks you to the very end." Nancy Shute, a freelancer formerly with U.S. News & World Report, said Zimmer "brings surprising insight and perspective to subjects as heavily covered as the swine flu virus." Hotz, of The Wall Street Journal, said Zimmer's work "demonstrates the continuing strength of print journalism and the commitment of newspapers" to convey compelling research to their readers.