Shoemaker Awards--Call for Nominations


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                            MEMORANDUM


To:       All Employees, U.S. Geological Survey
From:     Barbara Wainman Chief, Office of External Affairs
Subject:  Shoemaker Awards--Call for Nominations

I am very pleased to announce the opening of the nomination period for the
2000 Shoemaker Awards.  Nominations will be accepted from now until June
2nd for communications products that were published or distributed in
calendar years 1998 and 1999.  Previous award winners are not eligible to 
re-enter.

The Shoemaker Awards were established to honor the memory of  Dr. Eugene
M. Shoemaker, a U.S. Geological Survey astrogeologist who is considered
the founder of the science of lunar and planetary geology.  He was an
innovative scientist, researcher, and prolific communicator.  One of
Gene's great joys was to communicate scientific concepts to nontechnical
audiences in a way that they could easily understand.

The Shoemaker Awards are presented at two levels:
1.  Eugene M. Shoemaker Distinguished Achievement Award
This award is given periodically to honor an individual - a USGS employee
or a private citizen - who combines outstanding scientific ability with
great skill in presenting complex concepts to many different audiences.
This is a lifetime achievement award that honors the recipient's standing
in his or her professional field, skill, and enthusiasm for conveying
traditional and ground-breaking scientific concepts, and expertise in more
than one communication medium.

2.  Shoemaker Communications Awards
These multiple awards recognize USGS employees who have created products
that convey complex scientific concepts and information in a variety of
media, using words and pictures that capture the interest and imagination
of a broad spectrum of the American public.

The Shoemaker Communications Awards are presented for scientific
information products developed specifically for nontechnical audiences in
four categories:

   .  Print publications
   .  World wide web sites (sites, products, and groups of pages with 
      specific subject matter or application)
   .  Audiovisual (films, multimedia CDs, audio programs, and videos)
   .  Other items (exhibits, poster sessions, presentation graphics, etc.)

Communications is a vital and integral component of our mission.
Internally, it is the mechanism by which we learn from each other and grow
together; externally, it is the means through which we impart our science
to the world.  I urge you to consider your nominations carefully.

The USGS External Affairs home page at contains additional information and
nomination forms.  Questions should be directed to Jon Campbell in the
Office http://www.usgs.gov:8888/OUTREACH/ of External Affairs (703-648-4180).

Please send your nominations to:
Shoemaker Awards
USGS Office of External Affairs
119 National Center
Reston, VA 20192