National Association of Science Writers

History

In June 1934, John J. O'Neill, William L. Laurence, Howard W. Blakeslee, Gobind Behari Lal and David Dietz formed NASW as a press association with Dietz as its president.

At a mid-September Cleveland meeting, additional charter members, including staff members of newspapers, were F. B. Coulton, Watson Davis, Victor Henderson, Thomas R. Henry, Waldemar Kaempffert, and Robert D. Potter. The original purpose of NASW was "to foster the dissemination of accurate scientific knowledge by the press".

In December 1934, NASW journalists interviewed Albert Einstein, as reported by the Times Union:

NASW was awarded the Clement Cleveland medal of the American Society for the Control of Cancer in 1938, "for their work in writing about cancer".

The NASW incorporated in 1955, pledging itself to "foster the dissemination of accurate information regarding science through all media normally devoted to informing the public". Leaders of the NASW have been freelance and staff reporters for a majority of US newspapers, wire services, magazines, and broadcasters.

As of 2024, the organization reported having 2,260 members, 202 affiliates, and 320 students (2,782 total).

Annually since 1972 NASW has held the Science in Society Awards "to provide recognition — without subsidy from any professional or commercial interest — for investigative or interpretive reporting about the sciences and their impact on modern society". The organization considers granting awards in seven categories: books, commentary, science reporting, science features, long-form narratives, and series.

References

References

1. "The National Association of Science Writers (NASW)".
2. (2015-09-09). "MIT will be the hub of the universe for science writers this October".
3. Marcel Chotkowski LaFollette. (1 August 2009). "Science on the Air: Popularizers and Personalities on Radio and Early Television". University of Chicago Press.
4. (September 17, 1934). "Science Editors Organize; Group Forms Association at Meeting in Cleveland.". [[The New York Times]].
5. (1934-09-29). "Science Writers Organize". The Des Moines Register.
6. (1934-12-28). "Einstein Seems to Upset His Own Relativity Theory". Times Union.
7. (1938-10-22). "Science Writers Honered". Lincoln Nebraska State Journal.
8. "About the National Association of Science Writers Inc. {{!}} ScienceWriters (www.NASW.org)".
9. "National Association of Science Writers, Inc. - Call for Entries and Rules".