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Hurricane and Coastal-Change Expert Abby Sallenger Wins USGS Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) oceanographer Asbury (Abby) H. Sallenger recently received the USGS Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication. The award was announced on August 31, 2007, and conferred in a formal ceremony at USGS headquarters in Reston, Virginia, on September 27. Below is the citation for the award. "The Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication honors a USGS scientist who demonstrates great skill in presenting complex concepts to nontechnical audiences. This lifetime achievement award honors the recipient's skill and enthusiasm for conveying science in multiple media. "This year we recognize USGS oceanographer Asbury H. Sallenger. The substantial impact and national recognition of the USGS coastal program is widely recognized as a direct result of Sallenger's efforts—particularly his skills as a communicator. Whether it is a briefing on the Hill, a presentation to the research or local community, or an interview with the media, Sallenger knows how to communicate the value of USGS science and its relevance to the audience in question. He has become the voice of the USGS with respect to hurricanes and coastal change. With an unassuming, can-do manner, Sallenger attends to multiple demands in the face of a hurricane and its aftermath, and he has done so repeatedly—during a single season and year after year—responding to the surge of media requests for interviews, taking reporters into the field, and keeping managers and support personnel informed. His ability to communicate the value of the science reaches from the personal level, inspiring more than 10 of the technicians who have worked for him to continue their education through the doctorate level, to the national level, inspiring major media networks to return for additional, indepth interviews." To learn more about the scientific work of Sallenger and his research team, visit "Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms" and "National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards." The Shoemaker Awards Competition was established in 1997 in memory of Eugene M. Shoemaker to recognize extraordinary examples of communicating and translating complex scientific concepts and discoveries into words and pictures that capture the interest and imagination of the American public. Shoemaker, a USGS astrogeologist considered the founder of the science of lunar and planetary geology, was an effective and prolific communicator, as well as an innovative scientist and researcher. One of his greatest assets was his ability to communicate scientific concepts to nonscientists in a way that could be easily understood and appreciated. Today, many USGS employees carry on his enthusiasm, giving voice to all our science programs. USGS employees can find additional information about the Shoemaker Awards Competition, including lists of past and present winners, on the USGS Intranet.
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in this issue:
Assessing Resilience of the Chandeleur and Breton Islands
American Fisheries Society Honors Biologist Walter R. Courtenay Renee Taksue Recognized by AGU for Excellence in Refereeing
New Book Includes USGS Sea-Floor Data |
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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