The Northwest Science Writers Association is pleased to announce the winners of our 2012 career development awards: Veteran journalist Robert McClure and freelancer Michelle Martin.

Robert is well-known for his long career as an environmental reporter at the Seattle Post Intelligencer, where he shared in the John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. After the PI folded, he and several colleagues founded Investigate West, where they continue to crank out kick-ass coverage on a shoestring budget. Robert will use his $1,000 NSWA award to attend the 2012 Society of Environmental Journalists conferece in Lubbock, TX.

Martin is also Lubbock-bound. A biologist-turned- journalist, she formerly worked for Alaska Airlines Magazine. Martin earned an MA degree in journalism at the University of Colorado, and interned at several newspapers and a radio station. She’s now striking out on her own as a freelancer.

Congratulations to both our winners. And many thanks to the individuals and organizations whose generous donations make these awards possible:

  • Washington Biomedical and Biotechnology Association
  • Seattle Childrens
  • Institute for Systems Biology
  • John Henson and Lily Jung Henson

NSWA awards subcommittee

  • Sandi Doughton
  • John Roach
  • Keith Seinfeld