Multiple award-winning investigative journalist, Patrick Mayoyo, is among winners of this year’s inaugural United States National Academies awards
Mayoyo topped the science journalist local or regional category where other winners included J.D Allen, WSHU Public Radio, Trent Knoss, Denver Museum of Nature and Science / The Institute for Science & Policy and Brett Walton, Circle of Blue.
In their citation, the judges said Mayoyo worked hard to incorporate facts, figures, and explain clearly the science of what he was talking about — whether it was fungi, carbon credits, or tectonic plates.
“He illustrates scientific phenomena in unique and meaningful ways by incorporating tradition and centering his work on ideas that are largely unheard of,” the judges concluded.
The award is given by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Futures.
The awards comes with a cash reward of one $40,000 for top prize and three $20,000 awards totaling $600,000.
The awards are to encourage high-quality science communication and help build a diverse community of science journalists, research scientists, and institutions that will help society meet the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change, future pandemics, human genome editing, and other issues that can only be understood and navigated with the help of effective science communication.
Mayoyo’s winning entries included: How Kenyan villagers are using carbon credits and indigenous knowledge to fight climate change, Climate change and shift in tectonic plates linked to rising water levels in Rift Valley lakes, “Maasai women defy traditions and opt for nutrition to counter-climate-change.
Mayoyo a London School of Journalism trained journalist is the founder and Director of Editorial Innovations at Next Generation Media Ltd which publishes Daily Reporter and Africa Eco News. He is a former Deputy News Editor at Nation Media Group.
He joins an elite club of science journalists from around the world who will undergo mentoring from the US National Academies to be equipped with new skills in science reporting and spearhead science reporting around the globe.
Mayoyo a multiple award-winner with more than 13 international journalism award is currently the 2021 Prince Albert II of Monaco and UNCA Global Prize for Coverage of Climate Change gold winner.
A total of 24 awards were announced, 12 awards for best science communication by research scientists and 12 awards for science journalists, split among six categories. The winners will be honored during a recognition event and workshop on November 11 and 12 in Washington, D.C.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners, who did a superb job communicating about complex issues related to science, engineering, and health in innovative ways that capture people’s attention and imagination,” said Leah H. Jamieson, selection committee chair and Ransburg Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Dean Emerita of Engineering at Purdue University.
They said the quality and diversity of topics submitted were remarkable and described the works created by the winners as ‘sometimes alarming, sometimes lyrical, sometimes provocative, often inspiring, always engaging’.
“Our committee feels privileged to have been part of this awards program in its inaugural year. We are delighted that the recognition accorded to winners will help advance careers in science communication while informing the public about these fields that play such important roles in our lives,” they added.
They noted that the award winners were doing an exemplary work by not only accurately reporting about developments in the science field but also by actively engaging the public about the same.
“In an often complicated, murky, and distorted information environment, these superb communicators are shining a light on critical truths, facts, and evidence that people need to make informed decisions about their lives,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt.
Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Futures and president and co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute said scientists and journalists are both seekers and sharers of knowledge, but speak what might as well be two languages — one for academics within a particular field, the other for consumers who are inundated with news.
“The communicators honored with these awards not only speak both languages but also bridge them, telling stories that capture the furthest reaches of human understanding in words that are clear and relevant for all audiences,” Wendy Schmidt added.
