Contact:
Kate Ruddon
404-653-0790
kruddon@cdc.gov
Journalists Selected for 2003 Knight Journalism Boot Camp at CDC
May 1, 2003, ATLANTA - Seventeen experienced health and science journalists have been chosen for an intensive 10-day seminar to explore the topic of public health reporting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
Beginning on June 16, the CDC boot camp will include a short course on epidemiology and statistics, daily presentations on timely public health topics, case studies and lab tours. During the seminar, CDC scientists will discuss the latest findings on dozens of topics, including bioterrorism, SARS, vaccine development, genetic links to disease and the prevention of chronic illness. Participants will gain skills to help them analyze health risks, evaluate the importance of clinical studies, and improve their reporting on a wide range of public health issues.
The journalists selected for the 2003 CDC Boot Camp are:
- Sumana Chatterlee, Knight-Ridder Newspapers, Washington bureau
- Taunya English, Contra Costa (Calif.) Times
- Av Goldstein, Washington Post
- Kawanza Griffin, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
- Bud Hazelkorn, freelance, Berkeley, Calif.
- Vicki Kemper, Los Angeles Times
- Matt Leingang, Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat & Chronicle
- Lanie Lippincott Peterson, Savannah (Ga.) Morning News
- Chen May Yee, freelance, Somerville, Mass.
- Betsy McKay, Wall Street Journal
- Diana Penner, Indianapolis Star
- Constance Prater, Miami Herald
- Lori Rackl, Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, Ill.
- Scott Simmie, Toronto Star
- Liz Szabo, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
- Ruth Underwood, CNN Health Accent, Atlanta
- David Wahlberg, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eight other journalists were selected to participate in the Knight Public Health Journalism Fellowship program, a more in-depth, hands-on experience at CDC lasting three months. These journalists will also participate in the Boot Camp for the first 10 days of their fellowship.
Both programs have been made possible through a grant to the CDC Foundation from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Miami. The purpose of the programs is to encourage better reporting on public health issues.
The CDC Foundation is a non-profit organization that forges partnerships between CDC and others to fight threats to health and safety.