Discover the Triumphant Trio: Authors Awarded $10,000 for Masterfully Merging Science with Literature

NEW YORK – Recognizing the seamless fusion of scientific inquiry with literary artistry, three authors have been honored with $10,000 awards.

The National Book Foundation, in collaboration with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, revealed on Wednesday the recipients of the fifth annual Science + Literature prizes. This year’s winners include Kimberly Blaeser for her poetry collection “Ancient Light,” which draws inspiration from the environmental impacts on Indigenous populations; Anna North for her novel “Bug Queen,” a tale intertwining the life of a forensic anthropologist with that of a 2000-year-old Celtic druid; and Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian for her nonfiction work “Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature.”

“These talented writers illuminate the scientific and poetic aspects of nature, exposing its beauties and fears, and what these reveal about our innermost selves, our humanity, and our presence on Earth,” remarked Doron Weber, vice president and program director at the Sloan Foundation.

Ruth Dickey, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, emphasized that the newly recognized authors carry forward the awards’ mission to celebrate “diverse voices in science writing that enlighten, challenge, and engage readers everywhere.”

The National Book Foundation is renowned for hosting the National Book Awards, one of the literary community’s most esteemed accolades. Meanwhile, the Sloan Foundation has been a longstanding supporter of works that bridge science and the humanities, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, which inspired Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning film “Oppenheimer.”

“In an era where science faces scrutiny, it is imperative to elevate literature that marries the art of writing with the marvels of science,” stated Daisy Hernández, this year’s awards committee chair and a 2022 Science + Literature awardee.