News release from the Royal Society of New Zealand

18 October 2010

Shortlist announced for Royal Society of New Zealand Manhire Prize for Creative Science Writing

The shortlist for the Royal Society of New Zealand Manhire Prize for Creative Writing has been announced, with the winners to be revealed on 10 November at the 2010 Research Honours celebration in Christchurch.

There are two categories, non-fiction and fiction, with 10 entries shortlisted for each category. The winners will receive cash awards of $2500 and their entries will be printed in the New Zealand Listener.

The theme of this year’s competition was ‘The Mind’, with entrants taking their inspiration from the John Milton quote “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n”.

The Manhire Prize for Creative Science Writing is organised by the Royal Society of New Zealand in association with the New Zealand Listener magazine and the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington, headed by Professor Bill Manhire.

Professor Manhire, after whom the competition is named, said this creative writing competition was a great way to encourage science communication through writing.

“Each year we see a wide range of approaches to the theme. This year’s theme of The Mind was designed to allow entrants to explore the links between the brain, the heart and the personality.”

2010 Shortlisted Entries

Non Fiction category

• Ruth Beran- Heaven and Hell Heaven and Hell-Ruth Beran
• Cliff Fell- Six Theories of the Mind
• Ingrid Horrocks- Explorations in the Wandering Mind: A Digression
• Jason McGrath- The Quantum Soul
• Blair Granville- You Are Not an Individual
• Hayden Williams -Frontline, Borderline: Dispatches from a History of Mental Illness Frontline,
• Alice Miller- Dark Energy beyond the Reception Rooms: The Mind, Love and Tolstoy
• Malcolm Gunn -Meet Your Amygdala and Feel the Fear
• Philippa Werry- The Weight of Memory
• Tom Parsons -Mind- Lost, Found or Created? What You Think is Up to You

Fiction category

• Esme Putt -Interpretations
• Collin Minnaar- The maladjustee
• Isobel Gabites- Heaven in the Mind
• Alice Miller - Face
• Jennifer Carrington (penname) - Five Impressions on Paper
• H. Lucy Hodgson- The Place Where Happiness Lives
• Serie Barford- The Mesmerist the Musician
• David Hill- Out of Sight?
• Julia Charity- Pyramid in Paradise
• Rod Fee- The Phase Transitions of Petrie

All the shortlisted entries can be read at www.royalsociety.org.nz

ENDS

For more information: Melissa Pentecost, Royal Society of New Zealand, ph 04 470 5770

melissa.pentecost@royalsociety.org.nz; or Philippa Sargent, ph 04 470 5807.

Background information

The Royal Society of New Zealand promotes science, technology and the humanities in schools, in industry and in society. We administer several funds for science and technology, publish science journals, offer advice to Government, and foster international scientific contact and co-operation.

www.royalsociety.org.nz