Scientific discoveries are crucial, but creating a conversation around it, may be more, and this is why Ranjini Raghunath of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, has been awarded the prestigious National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications.

Connect, which is a quarterly magazine of the institution shared this news via a tweet on the social media platform X.

Raghunath as the Communications Officer at IISc writes and edits press releases, science news articles, and features for the institute's research news website, Kernel, and on Connect as well. Additionally, she oversees a science writing internship programme for students and handles various institutional communications, including social media.

Prior to joining IISc, she wrote news stories for Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto Weekly, and Inside Science News Service.

As per the nationalacademies.org website, Raghunath on being given the award writes, "I am deeply honored to receive this award. I feel privileged to work in a profession that allows me to learn something new and exciting every day, and share it with the rest of the world. This award strengthens my motivation to write stories that make both the science and the scientist accessible and relatable." 

Around 24 people from all over the globe have been conferred the award for their contribution to the field.