The DOE NNSA SSGF launched its annual essay contest in 2011 to give current and former fellows an opportunity to write about their work with a broad, non-technical audience in mind.
The competition, open to fellows and alumni, encourages better communication of stewardship science priorities and their value to society. Participants write a brief essay on a topic of personal interest, such as their career path and inspiration or their research and its importance.
Winners
Winners are recognized at the DOE NNSA SSGF Annual Program Review and receive a cash prize, plus the opportunity to work with a professional science writer to critique and copy-edit their essays.
With the exception of 2015, an excerpt of each winning essay was published in Stewardship Science, the annual DOE NNSA SSGF publication. Click on any of the years listed below to access the excerpt or full text.
2021
Sophia Farrell – "Into the Darkness"
2020
No Winner
2019
Erin Good – "When Physics Becomes Art"
2018
No Winner
2017
Benjamin Galloway – "Laser Science Is Not Mad Science"
2016
Mareena Robinson Snowden – "Dark Room, Bright Ideas"
2015
Cameron Meyers – "Silly Putty Planet"
2014
Juan Manfredi – "Starstruck"
2013
Evan Davis – "Bottling the Sun"
2012
Christopher Young – "A Plasma State of Mind"
Anna (Nikiforova) Erickson – "Neutrinos: Counting the Ghosts"
2011
Josh Renner – "Aware of Our Surroundings"
Stephanie Lyons – "A Science Nerd Spreads the Word"