The National Association of Science Writers (NASW) has honored Robert Irion, director of the UCSC Science Communication Program, with a 2012 Diane McGurgan Service Award.
The award recognizes Irion's work on behalf of NASW as co-chair of its Education Committee for the past five years. This committee is in charge of running the student internship fair, NASW's popular mentoring program at the annual AAAS meeting, and the undergraduate travel fellowships. The committee has added new elements to an already successful slate of activities and continues to refine current programs.
An announcement on the NASW web site commended Irion's work with co-chair Jeff Grabmeier: "Through Rob's work leading the committee and his deep interest in students, he is ensuring that new generations of science writers have the resources and encouragement they need to succeed."
Irion is also a longtime board member of the Northern California Science Writers Association. He graduated from the Science Communication Program in 1988 and has won three national writing awards in the physical sciences.
The Diane McGurgan Service Award was established in 2001. Awardees this year received a custom certificate and $250. NASW was established in 1934, formally incorporated in 1955, and today has 2,255 members and 364 student members. Its charter is to "foster the dissemination of accurate information regarding science through all media normally devoted to informing the public."
