The  2008 Award

Now in its 19th year, The Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award was created to recognize the contributions to journalism of both Ev Clark and Seth Payne.

The Award is intended to encourage young science writers by recognizing outstanding reporting and writing in any field of science. The winner will receive $1,000 and expenses to attend the annual meeting of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) and the New Horizons briefing of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) in October.

The award is given in memory of  Ev Clark, a  veteran journalist at  BusinessWeek, The New York Times, and Newsweek;  and Seth Payne, his long-time friend and colleague at BusinessWeek and a founder of the Award. It is designed to carry on the work of both men, who offered friendship and advice to generations of young journalists.

Rules

The award is limited to non-technical, print journalism only. Articles published in newspapers (including college newspapers), magazines, newsletters, and websites are eligible. Both freelancers and staff writers are eligible. (Books, as well as articles in technical journals and trade association publications are not eligible. Since the prize is managed by Business Week staffers, stories in that magazine will not be accepted).

Science writing includes, but is not limited to, writing in the biological, physical, environmental, computer, and space sciences, along with technology, mathematics, health, and science policy.

Entries will be judged on the basis of accuracy, clarity, insightfulness, fairness, resourcefulness, and timeliness.

Applicants must be age 30 or younger. The 2008 Award will be limited to those applicants whose 31st birthday is June 30, 2008 or later.

Applicants may submit a single article or series, or up to four individual pieces. Articles must be published between June 30, 2007 and June 29, 2008, but an entire series will be accepted if most parts are published between those dates. Applications may be submitted by the author or on the author's behalf.

Entries should not be elaborate. Simply send the attached application, along with one original tearsheet or printed PDF or web page, or and five photocopies of each article.

All applications and submissions must be received by Monday, June 30, 2008. Submissions will not be returned.

Judges

The award will be judged by a panel of science writers and scientists selected by the National Association of Science Writers and the Clark/Payne Fund. The award will be announced by August 15, 2008.

Presentation

The 2008 award will be presented at the October 26 banquet during the meeting of the National Association of Science Writers/Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, October 24-28, 2008, in Palo Alto, CA. The winner's travel and up to three days of hotel expenses will be paid. .

The Award is given by the Clark/Payne Fund and NASW, in conjunction with the National Press Foundation, which administers the endowment.