History of the CSWA

Early days

The Canadian Science Writers’ Association (CSWA) was founded in 1971 by a small group of science and medical reporters who recognized their role in helping other Canadians better understand the rapid changes occurring in our world.

Today the CSWA is a national association with over 600 members including media professionals, communications officers in science and technology institutions, technical writers and educators – all of whom are involved in communicating science and technology to non-specialist audiences.

Activity today

The CSWA fosters quality science communication, linking science and technology communicators from coast to coast. Drawing from their collective experience, CSWA members volunteer their time towards a series of programmes committed to increasing public awareness of Canadian science and technology, especially among youth.

The CSWA operates several national programmes including our annual conference, which highlights current science and technology issues, bringing together scientists, engineers, journalists, educators, youth and the general public.  Held in a different city each year, the annual conference highlights local developments in science and technology and combines public forums and educational workshops to produce a serious focus on ways of communicating the importance of such developments to the Canadian public with the greatest impact.

Honouring Canada’s top science writers

Each year, CSWA’s Science in Society Journalism Awards program offers more than $7,000 in awards that recognize excellence in Canadian science journalism in all media.  This program is completely sustained by private funding and the investment of numerous hours of volunteer work.

The CSWA is led by a 12-member Board of Directors elected from the national membership and operates a national office in the Greater Toronto Area employing an Executive Director.

(Current board pictured at right – top row, president Peter McMahon, vice-president Stephen Strauss, vice president communications Kathryn Warden, board member Margret Brady-Nankivel – middle row: board members Pauline Dakin, Hannah Hoag, Jim Handman, Romilla Karnick – lower row: board members Lisa Lambert, Margaret Munro, Kathleen Thurber, and board member/treasurer Andy Visser deVries) Bios of the CSWA board