Science News Names Inaugural Winner of the Starks-Murcutt Prize for Excellence in Science Journalism
Science News is proud to name Celina Zhao as the inaugural winner of the $1,000 Starks-Murcutt Prize for Excellence in Science Journalism. The award honors an early-career Science News intern or fellow whose work adheres to strict standards of accuracy, fairness and understanding of the scientific method, while also making science accessible to the public through clear and engaging writing. Zhao, who holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from MIT, was honored for her story, How much energy does your AI prompt use? It depends.
“I’m thrilled that we are able to honor Celina Zhao as the first recipient of the Starks-Murcutt Prize for Excellence in Science Journalism,” said Nancy Shute, editor in chief of Science News Media Group. “She met and exceeded our high standards, and I know she will excel in her career as a science journalist.”
The judging committee, which was composed of senior members of the Science News editorial team, noted that Zhao’s prize-winning article demonstrated a level of skill crucial for covering AI, an emerging area of science that will touch all of our lives in one way or another.
“She had a fearlessness in approaching a topic that many find intimidating and showed a tenacity to dig into all the angles,” said News Director Macon Morehouse, who oversees Science News’ internship program. Senior writer Tina Hesman Saey, chief mentor for the program, noted, “Celina’s enterprise story went beyond the idea that you could simply input data into a calculator and get an answer. The result was an accessible, engaging story that captured the nuance and embraced the uncertainty surrounding AI energy consumption.”
For decades, the Science News Media Group internship program has provided rigorous training in science journalism for talented early career journalists. Interns work full time as journalists starting on day one. The program includes training in reporting, writing and fact-checking for web and print, experience in multimedia journalism and the opportunity to write for younger audiences in Science News Explores.
Former Science News Media Group interns have become leaders at the highest levels of science journalism, working as reporters, editors and producers for news organizations, including National Geographic, Smithsonian and Nature, along with such newspapers as the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Indianapolis Star. Many Science News interns have advanced degrees in science as well as graduate degrees in journalism.
The Starks-Murcutt Prize for Excellence in Science Journalism award was created by Richard Starks and Miriam Murcutt, who both worked as writers, editors and publishers for publications in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom before successfully launching their own publishing company. Since selling their business, Starks and Murcutt have become published authors of fiction and nonfiction books and have established their own imprint. As the holder of a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. degree, Richard has always maintained a keen interest in science journalism and has found Science News to be an excellent way of keeping up-to-date in a wide range of scientific fields; while Miriam, as an arts graduate with an M.A. in English Literature, has long appreciated the accessibility that Science News offers to those readers with little or no training in the scientific disciplines. Their aim in setting up their prize is to support aspiring science writers who commit to creating articles that are accurate, accessible and based on the highest journalistic standards.
About Science News
Science News has been covering the latest discoveries in science, technology and medicine since 1921, and is published by Society for Science. It offers readers award-winning news and features, commentary, multimedia and access to archives dating back to 1921. Concise, current and comprehensive, the magazine provides an approachable overview of all fields and applications of science and technology.
Science News Media Group also includes Science News Explores, which makes science accessible for younger audiences, as well as Science News Learning, which brings Science News lesson plans to classrooms across the country.
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About Society for Science
Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its STEM outreach programming, which seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at new.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.
