Student - May 13, 2012

Would-be journalist wins Resource writing contest

Esther Brouwer has won the Resoure writing contest. This student of Forest and Nature Management wrote an essay about the limitations of science.

Gold.jpg
Brouwer is an illustrator for Resource, and appears to have a way with words, too. It turns out that this isn't just a mere coincidence. Brouwer is eyeing a career in journalism and is doing an internship in the editorial department of Roots, the former Grasduinen magazine, where she combines her interest in forestry and nature with actual writing about this subject. The internship forms part of her study.
Gadfly
The Resource editorial team organized the contest after winning the 'Gouden Luis in de Pels', the 'gadfly' prize given to the best journalistic medium in Dutch higher education last autumn. Part of the prize money was put up for the writing contest. Participants had to produce a journalistic piece about the tense relationship between science and society. This theme appealed to Brouwer immensely. 'I feel that it's very much talked about currently, and certainly present in the WUR.'
Authority
Science, according to Brouwer, should 'keep within its own territory'. 'I am certainly not anti-science, but science is just a part of reality. For example, science has got nothing to do with religion.' Science is, according to Brouwer, an abstraction of reality. To give science too much authority would cause many other aspects to be overshadowed.' Science should not overstep its bounds.
Surprise
Winning has taken Brouwer by complete surprise. 'I pondered a lot about the issue before I started writing. I wrote the piece up just before the deadline and didn't have any time left to give it a polish.' The prize money of 250 euros has found a good destination: the savings bank.