Rice to host writers for exploration of scientific fields

Rice to host writers for exploration of scientific fields

Rice University
will host the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing’s
“New Horizons in Science” briefing Oct. 29-Nov.
2 at the Warwick Hotel and on campus.

Held annually
since 1963, each New Horizons briefing brings distinguished
scientists from a variety of fields together with about
100 journalists and science writers for an intensive four-day
exploration of the newest developments and emerging fields
in science and technology.

This gathering
provides science writers with the background necessary to
understand and interpret these fast-changing areas. It also
provides a news-oriented program to help satisfy journalists’
needs for news stories and feature ideas. The meetings have
been consistently successful in presenting new and significant
scientific advances. Each briefing covers the full range
of science and health—from astronomy to virology.

Of the 15 presenters
on this year’s program, the Rice researchers include
Roderick McIntosh, professor of anthropology; Antonios Mikos,
the John Cox Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering;
George Phillips, professor of biochemistry and cell biology
and professor of biochemistry and computer sciences at the
University of Wisconsin; Richard Smalley, the Gene and Norman
Hackerman Professor of Chemistry and professor of physics;
Tayfun Tezduyar, the James Barbour Professor in Engineering
and chair of mechanical engineering and materials science;
James Tour, the Chao Professor of Chemistry; Jennifer West,
assistant professor of bioengineering; and Lon Wilson, professor
of chemistry.

The briefing
also includes the inaugural Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence
in Medical Science Reporting presentation and banquet, which
will be held at Rice’s Cohen House. The award will
be shared by Lawrence Altman of The New York Times and Laurie
Garrett of Newsday. The prize, which recognizes a body of
work published or broadcast within the last five years,
was created by the Council for the Advancement of Science
Writing (CASW) to honor the late Cohn, a science and medical
reporter for The Minneapolis Tribune and later at The Washington
Post. In 1959, Cohn co-founded the CASW, and he was a past
president of the National Association of Science Writers.
The judges had intended to name only one winner, but in
selecting two winners in the first year of the award, they
felt it would underscore the breadth and depth of medical
reporting in the United States.

The CASW is
a 24-member panel of scientists, journalists and educators
that develops and funds initiatives to help newspaper, magazine
and broadcast reporters and academic public information
specialists pursue stories on science, medicine and technology.