We’re very excited to announce the winners of 2024’s Best of the Northwest Awards!

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Journalism Winner: ‘Everybody has a breaking point’: how the climate crisis affects our brains

Clayton Aldern's headshotThe winning piece for the journalism category was Clayton Page Aldern’s “‘Everybody has a breaking point’: how the climate crisis affects our brains,” originally appearing in The Guardian. We were impressed at both the amount of research that went into the piece and at Clayton’s skill at keeping the article feeling light and easy to grasp. Combined with a subject that feels increasingly pertinent, we felt that the piece was a winner.

Story Behind the Story: About the piece, Clayton said: “I came across Yoko Nomura’s work when reporting my recent book on climate change and brain health. Her research felt like it epitomized much of the line of questioning I was pursuing, and when it came time to try to encapsulate the book in essay form, I felt it only made sense to start with Nomura. The Guardian piece was an attempt at pointing the spotlight on her study of expecting mothers who experienced Superstorm Sandy—both as a means of bringing her work to a larger audience and of offering an entrée to the world of environmental neuroscience writ large.”

About Clayton: Clayton Page Aldern is a senior data reporter at Grist. A neuroscientist turned environmental journalist, he holds a master’s in neuroscience and a master’s in public policy from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He is also a research affiliate at the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology at the University of Washington. His book The Weight of Nature, on the effects of climate change on brain health, is out now from Dutton. You can follow him on Bluesky.

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Journalism Honorable Mention: There’s a frozen labyrinth atop Mount Rainier. What secrets does it hold?

Becca Dzombak's headshotThe honorable mention for the journalism category was Rebecca Dzombak’s “There’s a frozen labyrinth atop Mount Rainier. What secrets does it hold?” We thought the piece was a fun read, with spectacular imagery and excellent quotes, and surprised us all, since none of us had heard about these ice caves before, even with Rainier in our own backyard.

Story Behind the Story: Of the piece, Becca says: “I found out about the work through a friend who works at the WA Geological Survey (okay, my husband), and he’d seen the study because a colleague (Lee) shared it. The story came together very smoothly–the ice caves are pretty charismatic–and it was very cool to hear how unique the ice-scapes of different Cascades volcanoes actually are. But I will say, some of the tales from the field didn’t have me jonesing to hustle up the peak of Tahoma any time soon!”

About Becca: Becca is a freelance writer and editor with a background in geology. She enjoys writing about conservation, agriculture, and the environment. A Midwest transplant, she lives in Olympia, WA with her husband and two cats. (None of them misses the humidity of a Michigan summer.)

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Institutional Winner: From Rejection to Redemption: Idaho State Prof. Awarded NSF CAREER Grant to Develop Next-Gen Fertilizers

Photo of Logan McDougalThe winner for the institutional writing category was Logan McDougall’s “From Rejection to Redemption: Idaho State Prof. Awarded NSF CAREER Grant to Develop Next-Gen Fertilizers,” originally published in ISU News. We felt the piece did an excellent job highlighting and promoting the work of Logan’s subject, Dr. Jenkins, while his decision to frame the piece as a comeback narrative kept it feeling fresh and relatable.

Story Behind the Story: After finding out about Dr. Jenkins’ CAREER grant, I sent her a brief email congratulating her and asking for some documents related to the project to get a start on things. While looking through the summary and abstract she sent, I soon realized I would need some clarification on what her research would entail. On a call with Dr. Jenkins, she mentioned how her time in Indianapolis was “the best four hours I’ve had at a conference.” Her brief statement is what spurred me to explore the human side of developing a research proposal.

About Logan: Logan McDougall is the Executive Director of College Relations for Idaho State University’s College of Science and Engineering, overseeing the College’s marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts. Before joining Idaho State, he served as the Public Information Officer for the City of Pocatello. At the City, he chaired the Flag Design Ad-hoc Committee, which helped to raise a new flag for Pocatello after the City was publicly shamed for having the worst flag in North America in a TED Talk by podcaster Roman Mars. After a worldwide effort, the group was able to hoist a new one in 2017, and their work became the subject of a TEDx Talk by Logan titled “How Designing A Flag Defined Pocatello.” He has also served as a Project/Social Media Manager for a local marketing firm and as an Anchor/Producer and Multimedia Journalist for KPVI News 6. Logan enjoys spending time with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Addie and Cameron. He also likes to spend time outdoors mountain biking and hiking and lifting weights while listening to heavy metal cranked to 11.

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Multimedia Winner: How tiny fossils in Oregon’s coastal marshes could help us prepare for big earthquakes

The winner in the multimedia category was Jes Burns’ “How tiny fossils in Oregon’s coastal marshes could help us prepare for big earthquakes” in Oregon Public Broadcasting. We found the subject matter fascinating and thought the piece’s production — from overhead drone shots, to imaginative dioramas, to little touches like having the fossils’ patterns appear on lanterns on-set — excellently creative.

About Jes: Jes Burns works for OPB’s Science & Environment unit as a science reporter and producer of the Northwest science show “All Science, No Fiction.” She previously worked for the NPR affiliate KLCC in Eugene as a reporter and the local “All Things Considered” host. Jes has also worked as an editor, host and producer for Free Speech Radio News and has produced radio and television stories for national news programs, including“Marketplace” and “PBS NewsHour.” She’s won many awards for her reporting, including a 2020 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award.

Jes has a degree in English literature from Duke University and a master’s degree from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communications.

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This year’s awards were judged by James Gaines, Adrienne Underwood, and Virginia Gewin. The Best of Northwest Awards recognize and celebrate outstanding writing published by our members each year.