Competing against entries from institutions including Harvard, UCLA and Boston University, the judges found that the story explained a complex topic clearly and engagingly. They added, “We liked the fire metaphor. Good use of social media to promote the story.”
“As a science writer, this award means a lot to me,” said Dr Chua. “But I could not have done this without the strong support of my wonderful team, who pour a lot of effort into producing each issue of MEDICUS. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be in this position where I can write about the people and stories behind the amazing work that’s done at Duke-NUS to transform medicine and improve lives.”
Commenting on the story when it was first published, Duke-NUS Associate Professor Ashley St John, who was interviewed for the piece, tweeted: “The talented Duke-NUS science writer Chua Li Min wrote, “Inflammation—the fires that burn within”, an easily understood description of inflammation and the implications for severe COVID-19. I'm honoured to have been interviewed and for mast cells to be featured in the visuals!”
Nicole Lim, editor of MEDICUS, said: “This was a stellar piece by Li Min and I am delighted that her excellent storytelling was recognised with a gold award. It is also a tribute to the entire team’s commitment to tell good stories about science, medicine and education and the people who make it all happen.”
MEDICUS, the School’s quarterly magazine, goes beyond the latest discoveries in education, research and academic medicine, shining a spotlight on the people whose ideas are shaping the future of science and medicine. In its coverage of Duke-NUS Medical School, a landmark collaboration between Duke University and the National University of Singapore, MEDICUS tells the stories of the scientists, educators, clinicians, students and alumni who work tirelessly to transform medicine and improve lives for people on the Little Red Dot and around the world.
“This award reflects the team’s commitment to creating a quality magazine,” said MEDICUS Editor-in-Chief Anirudh Sharma, who is also the director of communications and strategic relations at Duke-NUS. “In each issue, we focus on discoveries and the people behind them and share insights from our experts on issues that help our readers make informed decisions and gain a deeper understanding of the work we do and its impact and relevance to their lives.”
If you want to receive the latest issue straight in your inbox, subscribe here.