Science writer Annemieke Smit has been awarded the four yearly Wageningen Press Award 2014 for her inspiring book Uitgekookt!. At the 96th anniversary of Wageningen University on March 10, she received the sculpture ‘Wageningen Tree’, a judicium and an amount of 2500 euro handed by the chairman of the Wageningen University Fund, Jan Karel Mak.
According to the jury Annemieke Smit deserves the Press Award for her exceptional journalistic work. The jury appreciates her ability to translate complex food science knowledge into pleasant and amusing reading for a broad audience. The book has an innovative format, is easily accessible and explains scientific insights refraining from technical terms or formulas.
The jury, consisting of four representatives from the domain of science and journalism, received twenty nominations of articles, books and other printed matter. The jury was very pleased with and impressed by the high quality of the contributions.
For her book Uitgekookt!, winner Annemieke Smit has consulted many Wageningen scientists. Her book presents their knowledge in an integrated and playful manner. She thus highly contributes to our understanding of what we eat, the jury reports. In an inspiring manner Uitgekookt! makes us aware of our daily food and how it is prepared.
The book has excellent illustrations and apt anecdotes, and is therefore more than an attractive and informative cookbook. It has the potential to become a Dutch reference guide on food science in the kitchen for the general public, the jury foresees. Annemieke Smit comfortably meets the requirements set by the jury in terms of quality, accessibility and relationship with scientific research of Wageningen University.
Annemieke Smit was science editor for various television and radio programmes. She edited many television programmes herself, made over one hundred radio reports and she presented many live programmes. She always did her own research, searched for interesting topics and she found innovative researchers. Annemieke Smit was editor at ‘Noorderlicht Radio’, Project leader at ‘Wetenschap’ at VPRO and she developed a website called ‘Pooljaar’.