Scott receives public service award from National Science Board

At a black-tie dinner in Washington DC on May 7, 2002, Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of NCSE, was presented with the 2002 National Science Board Public Service Award. The National Science Board is the governing board of the National Science Foundation. The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to communicating, promoting, or helping to develop broad public policy in science and engineering; the citation for Scott’s award read, “For her promotion of public understanding of the importance of science, the scientific method, and science education and the role of evolution in science education.” Said Paula Apsell, the chair of the NSB Public Service Award advisory committee, “In an appropriate manner, Eugenie Scott struck a chord for the nation in the teaching of evolution. She communicated her message in a positive way among other competing, sometimes opposite, and often emotional points of view.” Scott commented, “I am pleased that the NSB, in presenting this award, is publicly reaffirming its view of the importance of evolution in science, and of evolution education in science education.” Scott joins the ranks of Jane Goodall, Stephen Jay Gould, and Philip and Phylis Morrison, all previous individual recipients of the NSB Public Service Award.