August, 13 2009, 02:41pm EDT
UCS Announces Winner of 2009 'Science Idol' Editorial Cartoon Contest
Jesse Springer Earns America's 'Science Idol' Title
WASHINGTON
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today announced that Jesse Springer, of Eugene, Oregon
has won the 2009 "Science Idol: the Scientific Integrity Editorial
Cartoon Contest." The competition draws attention to the work that must
be done for the Obama administration to fulfill its pledge to "restore
science to its rightful place."
Springer's cartoon depicts a politician
who has removed the letters "s-c-i-e-n-c-e" from the words "Endangered
Species Act." The politician says, "There! Now it doesn't make any sense at all!"
(To see the winning cartoon, go to www.ucsusa.org/scienceidol. High-resolution images are available for reuse.)
"There's a lot of room for oversight,"
says Springer. "This is a really tricky time for those who hoped that
Obama's election was going to be a start of something new. We need to
point out the commitments that President Obama has made and hold his
administration accountable to them."
The Science Idol competition seeks to
spark conversation about how to prevent government leaders from
censoring, manipulating and distorting scientists' findings on issues
ranging from public health to global warming.
Springer, who also won the contest in
2007, is a graphic designer and editorial cartoonist for the Eugene
Register-Guard. He is a member of the American Association of Editorial
Cartoonists.
This year's contest featured 12
"all-stars" from previous UCS calendar contests. Springer's cartoon,
along with the other 11 finalists, will be featured in the UCS 2010
scientific integrity calendar, available for purchase at www.ucsusa.org/scienceidol.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices.
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