Black Hills Pioneer Chosen for 2024 CORES Award for Excellence in Science Communication
SDSTA has chosen the Black Hills Pioneer for the 2024 Communications and Outreach Experiences in Science (CORES) Award.
The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) has chosen the Black Hills Pioneer for the 2024 Communications and Outreach Experiences in Science (CORES) Award.
The SDSTA presents the CORES Award to an individual, group, business, or organization that demonstrates an ongoing commitment to STEM communication that helps make scientific research understandable and accessible to the general public.
“For decades, the Black Hills Pioneer has provided engaging and in-depth science reporting on the research at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), local universities, and area institutions,” said Mike Headley, SDSTA Executive Director and the SURF Laboratory Director. “Our region of the country is enriched thanks to years of dedication exhibited by Black Hills Pioneer staff and their commitment to reporting on all issues in our community, including the world-class science underway at SURF.”
“We believe that education and science are critical tenets of a successful society. Educating the public about the long-term critical work being done at Sanford in the various fields of scientific research has been a natural extension of that belief, reflected in our ongoing efforts of reporting and special editions,” said Letitia Lister the president and publisher of the Black Hills Pioneer.
Wendy Pitlick, a veteran reporter with the Pioneer, is one of the journalists who has covered the facility over the years.
Since 2007, the Black Hills Pioneer has released five special sections that give detailed explanations of the science and education at the Sanford Lab, as well as other important factors in developing America’s underground laboratory. The special sections have been in addition to the Pioneer’s regular lab coverage in the daily newspaper, which has been ongoing for nearly 25 years.
Photo credit Black Hills Pioneer
“My mission is to provide good, factual information about the multi-faceted impact of SURF, and the many opportunities the lab presents on a local, state, national, and global scale. It is my hope that the information we put out in the Black Hills Pioneer facilitates a greater understanding and meaningful discussion related to the lab, amongst our neighbors and friends in the Northern Hills community,” said Pitlick.
The Black Hills Pioneer was established in 1876 and is the oldest business in Western South Dakota. The Pioneer is a daily newspaper and media outlet that serves multiple South Dakota communities in Lawrence, Butte, and Meade counties.
The CORES Award was presented during SURF’s Deep Talks event on Dec. 12, 2024, at the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center in Lead.
