AAAS Science Journalism Awards

2005 RECIPIENT: Small Newspaper

Richard Monastersky
The Chronicle of Higher Education
"Women and Science: The Debate Goes On" 4 March 2005
"The Hidden Cost of Farming Fish" 22 April 2005
"Come Over to the Dark Side" 3 June 2005

Monastersky was selected for a series of three unrelated pieces that showed a broad grasp of science, from the politically sensitive debate over how boys and girls learn about math to the risks of fish farms to the search by physicists for an elusive force that shapes the universe and accelerates its expansion.

"Monastersky's work stands out for its meticulous explanatory reporting of a remarkably broad range of scientific controversies," said Robert Lee Hotz of the Los Angeles Times.

"I am deeply honored that the judges selected my work for the award," Monastersky said. "There are many talented science journalists around the country and it is quite humbling to be selected by my peers." Monastersky, who won a AAAS Science Journalism Award in 2001 as well, said there is "a disturbing trend in the United States for newspapers to be cutting back on their science coverage at a time when the public needs in-depth reporting on this issue more than ever. I hope that both big and small newspapers recognize the importance of covering scientific issues and reverse this dangerous trend."