Purdue honors top science journalists at inaugural Science Laureates Program

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue will honor 10 international science journalists on Oct. 4-6 at the university's first Science Laureates Program.

"Professional science journalists are critical in a democratic society such as ours," said Jeffrey Vitter, Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science. "Advances in science have revolutionized the world in the past century, challenging us with tremendous opportunities as well as critical choices. The science writer - a person who translates the discovery in the laboratory into information we all can understand - plays a vital role in helping the public appreciate the opportunities and make informed decisions."

The program is designed to give faculty and students from all colleges the opportunity to sit in on various sessions with the laureates, who also will have a chance to visit Purdue facilities and learn more about Purdue research.

At 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 5, the science laureates will participate in an open-to-the-public town hall meeting in the commons of the Lawson Computer Science Building to discuss the future of science research publications, both academic and mainstream.

At 3:30 p.m., the public is invited to a convocation in the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms to honor the laureates, who will address the audience and answer questions. After the ceremony, laureates will be available for one-on-one discussions at an informal reception.

The science laureates who will be honored at the program are:

• Clive Cookson, science journalist at the Financial Times of London.

• David Ewing Duncan, science journalist, contributor to Nature, and regular contributor to National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service.

• Joel Garreau, author of "Radical Evolution" and a journalist and editor at the Washington Post.

• Simon Grose, science and technology editor at "Canberra Times," Canberra, Australia.

• Moira Gunn, science journalist and creator of NPR's "TechNation" and "BiotechNation," and a Purdue science and engineering alumna.

• Joan Leach, editor of the Journal of Social Epistemology and convener of the Science Communications Program at the University of Queensland, Australia.

• Nuala Moran, science journalist and editor at ScienceBusiness, BioWorld, former managing editor of Nature, and former deputy editor of Computer Weekly.

• Apoorva Mandavilli, senior news editor at Nature Medicine.

• Jason Pontin, science journalist and editor-in-chief of Technology Review magazine.

• Jeff Young, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education.

For more program information, contact Mary Jo Bartolacci, director of advancement, at (765) 496-3525, mbartolacci@purdue.edu.

Writer: Elizabeth Gardner, (765) 494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

Source: Jeffrey Vitter, (765) 494-1730, dean@science.purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: For a schedule of events, contact Elizabeth Gardner, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page