Sally Harris, of Christiansburg, Va., a communications manager at Virginia Tech, will receive a national award at the meeting of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) in September.

The award, an honorable mention, is in the special category of articles on science, ecology, or environment, which is open to all members regardless of the type or circulation of the publication in which the entries appeared. Harris’ stories were about the Himalayan research of Richard Law in geological sciences at Virginia Tech and research about defense mechanisms in plants by Asim Esen of biology and David Bevin of biochemistry. The stories were published, respectively, in the university’s Research Magazine edited by Susan Trulove and the faculty/staff newspaper, Spectrum, edited by John Ashby.

Entries in the national competition must previously have won a first-place award in the state contest, which for Harris is the Virginia Press Women. Harris will travel to receive the award at the annual meeting of the NFPW in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 8-10.

Harris is a native of Saltville, Va., and previously wrote and edited for the Smyth County News, The Gazette in Galax, Va., and The Roanoke Times. She taught at Rural Retreat High School and Marion Senior High School as well as New River Community College as an adjunct professor. She has won more than 100 awards from professional organizations and has won the VPW sweepstakes award twice.

The National Federation of Press Women is a nationwide organization of professional women, and men, pursuing careers across the communications spectrum. Founded in 1958, Virginia Press Women is a diverse organization of professional communicators in Virginia that is open to women and men and is affiliated with the National Federation of Press Women. Both organizations promote the highest ethical standards, foster exchanges of journalistic ideas and experiences, offer continuing education opportunities to members and serve the public's right-to-know.

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