Irish Times journalist, Anne Byrne, has won the Best Newspaper Article category in the second annual National Science and Technology Journalism Awards. Gerry Byrne was named Science Journalist of the Year.
Print and broadcast category winners and the overall prize were announced yesterday in Dublin by the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce, Mr Noel Treacy. All of the winners had "enhanced awareness of a crucially important element of Ireland's economic development and encouraged public debate", Mr Treacy said.
Mr Byrne won the top prize for two reports in New Scientist magazine about major aircraft incidents and how technology is used to explain them. The citation described his work as "enthralling accounts" of how technology can both kill and save. Mr Byrne is a freelance journalist.
Ms Byrne's award was for her report on the innovative approach taken at MIT's Media Lab and the institute's decision to site its MediaLab Europe in Dublin. The citation said the report "informed and stimulated the reader" and delivered "a real sense of high intellectual adventure".
Walt Kilroy of RTE news won the Television category for his report on climate change, presented on the Six-One News. The judges were impressed with the degree of technical explanation he provided in a report containing fewer than 400 words.
The Radio prize was won by Ella McSweeney for her "excellently explained and comprehensive discussion" of the technical, ethical and moral issues related to the human genome project. It was broadcast on RTE Radio 1.
The winners were selected by a panel of judges chaired by RTE presenter Pat Kenny. Each category winner received vouchers for £1,000 worth of hi-fi equipment. The overall prize was a trip for two to New York.
The journalism awards are organised by Forfas under the Government's Science, Technology and Innovation Awareness Programme. They are sponsored by IBM Ireland.
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