Radio Programming Award for AAAS' Science Update

AAAS' Science Update has received a number of awards in its 14 years of operation, but Bob Hirshon, the radio program's host, says he continues to be delighted with the attention. Most recently, the program was awarded the Bronze WorldMedal for Science and Technology Programming in the 2002 International Radio Festival of New York. "We produce 90-second spots, and we're going up against hard-hitting, multi-part documentaries," says Hirshon. "That makes us feel pretty good."

Bob Hirshon

Hirshon and his colleagues Corinna Wu and Kandice Carter pack a lot of information into a tiny timeframe, writing in May, for example, about breakthroughs in agricultural science, color blindness, ultrasound surgery, where to bury nuclear waste, and boarding passes designed to detect bombs.

Science Update is syndicated through Murray-Walsh Radio Broadcasting and can be heard on Westwood One's America in the Morning show. The purpose is to inform the public of the latest cutting-edge discoveries in science and technology, and to increase public appreciation and understanding of science.

"What makes our program unique is that a not-for-profit organization produces it as an educational feature, but it plays on commercial radio stations," says Wu. "That's almost unheard of."

The following are URLs for the three Science Update programs that were entered in the International Radio Festival:

Earthshine, orig. air date June 1, 2001
http://www.scienceupdate.com/audio/010601_sciup_eart.ram

Glowing Wounds, orig. air date July 25, 2001
http://www.scienceupdate.com/audio/010725_sciup_glow.ram

Musical Shells, orig. air date Jan. 7, 2002
http://www.scienceupdate.com/audio/020107_sciup_musi.ram

2 July 2002