WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., April 5, 2010 -- Williams College senior Katie Palmer was one of 10 talented student journalists from across the country chosen by the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) to attend the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting.

At AAAS, students were paired with an experienced science writer and attended scientific sessions and press conferences on topics ranging from teaching children science to mutations in the genetic code to health care public policy to feeding the world.

Students were asked to report on a scientific session, and their reports are posted on NASW's website http://www.nasw.org/resource/beginning/aaas2010/ ).

Palmer's report on neuroimaging in the American legal system is titled “Brain imaging in the courtroom: Pretty pictures or hard evidence?” and the report is available at http://bit.ly/cspiIo

“The jury is out on the use of neuroimaging as hard evidence in the American courtroom, concluded a panel of legal and academic experts,” Palmer writes.

Her report reflects the debate over the usefulness of such evidence.

“Though MRIs produce reliable images, the conclusions drawn from them are subject to interpretation,” she writes. “In the courtroom, then, the risk exists that impressive-looking scientific evidence can mislead jurors.”

“The AAAS meeting was a great learning experience,” Palmer said. “With my press badge I could do anything and go anywhere that the experienced science journalists could, and I learned what it was like to cover a large-scale science conference.”

At Williams, Palmer is a chemistry major, concentrating in neuroscience.

When asked what piqued her interest in science journalism, she said, “Once I realized that I wasn’t interested in doing bench research, I started looking into other science careers.  Science journalism attracted me because it requires you to constantly learn about new, relevant subjects while exercising your judgment about what is truly important in the public sphere.”

At Williams, she has also played cello in the Berkshire Symphony, Symphonic Winds, Student Symphony, and the Percussion Ensemble.

Palmer hails from Fairfield County, Conn.

END

Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

To visit the college on the Internet: www.williams.edu/ Williams College can also be found on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/williamscollege and Twitter:  http://twitter.com/williamscollege

News: Laura Corona