C&EN Recognized For Jellyfish Video

A video about a synthetic jellyfish has earned Chemical & Engineering News science and technology reporter Lauren K. Wolf a Science Newsbrief Award from the D.C. Science Writers Association (DCSWA), which is a chapter of the National Association of Science Writers.

The award recognizes short, accessible, accurate pieces of science communication. This is the first time a video has been recognized for this award.

The three-minute video, “Building a Jellyfish Mimic with Tissue Engineering,” describes the efforts of researchers at Caltech and Harvard University to design a polymer sheet that swims like a jellyfish. Proteins and rat heart cells are printed on the sheet and drive its motion when pulsed with an electrical field. The researchers say the mimic could help them learn about jellyfish evolution and should enable them to test cardiac drugs in the future.

C&EN has been expanding its video coverage since 2010. “Audiences differ in how they like to receive information, and some stories really lend themselves to visual presentation,” says Maureen Rouhi, C&EN editor-in-chief.

“I made this video because simply writing about the technology didn’t seem to do it justice,” Wolf says. “You need to see the jellyfish mimic in motion to appreciate the researchers’ accomplishment.”

Wolf will receive the award during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 20. She will receive a $500 prize and a crystal trophy.