You’d be forgiven for considering that it was her beautiful 2005 guide “The Planets” that put Dava in consideration for the Cosmos Award. The extremely private and evocative assortment of essays concerning the worlds of our Photo voltaic System performed a job within the determination, however solely as further proof of her capacity to deliver science alive on the web page.
The Planetary Society’s board of administrators acknowledged that Dava’s writing stands as testomony to the facility of storytelling in science. She reveals us that the Universe is defined not simply via equations and experiments however via human tales, making distant historic figures breathe once more, and permitting us to see science via their eyes and really feel their marvel. These presents made her a really perfect recipient of the Cosmos Award.
Dava joined us in Washington, D.C., on the night of Could 30 to be celebrated by Invoice Nye, our board of administrators, and particular friends. In her quietly eloquent acceptance speech, Dava shared how very honored she was to obtain this award named for one of many biggest achievements of Carl Sagan, the particular person she credit with having set her on her course so a few years in the past.
Dava first met Carl Sagan when she interviewed him at Cornell College for an article in a neighborhood paper. He wrote her a letter of advice that helped her get a writing job on the establishment. Later, as manufacturing of “Cosmos” was getting underway, Carl would once more advocate Dava as an incredible selection for the general public data agent who could be current as taking pictures proceeded world wide.
Bronx-born Dava was herself quickly acknowledged throughout our pale blue dot as a gifted author. She received the British Ebook of the 12 months award for “Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Biggest Scientific Drawback of His Time.” In 1999, she penned “Galileo’s Daughter: A Historic Memoir of Science, Religion, and Love.” It might turn out to be a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Our paths started to cross within the fall of 2023. Dava provided to adapt “Galileo’s Daughter” for a really particular stage presentation. Below the course of Planetary Society board member Robert Picardo, celebrated actors John Rhys-Davies and Linda Purl grew to become Galileo and his sensible, convent-sequestered daughter, Sister Maria Celeste. They recited a portion of the lengthy thread of letters that had impressed Dava to create the guide.
That enchanted occasion gave me my first alternative to speak with Dava. She would return for extra Planetary Radio interviews over the next years. Each dialog was as magical, charming, and entertaining as her books.
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