December 22, 2009

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Scientific American editor in chief Mariette DiChristina honored as one of "Three Wise Women" of 2009

By Philip Yam

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

The National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW) has selected Scientific American editor in chief Mariette DiChristina as one of its "Three Wise Women" of 2009. The organization, which since 1980 has been lauding extraordinary Americans of Italian heritage as a means to create positive role models, cited DiChristina for her achievement in science journalism and her exceptional leadership.

The other two honorees are Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, the executive director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, and attorney Maria T. Vullo, partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

The honor marks the second time in two months that DiChristina has been recognized for achievements in her field. In October, she was praised by New York City's Italian Heritage and Culture Committee in their celebration of Galileo's contributions to science.

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If you're in New York City next month, you can attend the NOIAW celebration of its honorees, which will be held on January 8, 2010, at the Columbus Citizens Foundation in Manhattan's Upper East Side. But you'll have to pony up at least $125 for a ticket. Not cheap, but hey, how many times will you be able to rub elbows with three wise women?

 

Philip Yam is the managing editor of ScientificAmerican.com, responsible for the overall news content online. He began working at the magazine in 1989, first as a copyeditor and then as a features editor specializing in physics. He is the author of The Pathological Protein: Mad Cow, Chronic Wasting and Other Prion Diseases.

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