The American Statistical Association awarded the 2009 Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award to Sharon Begley of Newsweek. From the official announcement:

“Begley was selected on the basis of her whole body of work, especially for ‘detangling numbers, probabilities, and statistics to enable public understanding of current science issues,'” said Telba Irony, chair of ASA’s Committee on Excellence in Statistical Reporting. “Begley is widely known for her ability to translate complex scientific theories into understandable prose and writes a bi-weekly column, essays and cover stories for Newsweek.”

Begley also wrote a Wall Street Journal column – Science Journal — for five years. Begley is the recipient of many awards, including the Public Understanding of Science Award from the Exploratorium, the science museum in San Francisco and a Clarion Award from the Association for Women in Communications for her “Science Journal” column. She is the co-author of the 2002 book, “The Mind and the Brain,” and the author of the 2007 book “Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain.”