Congratulations to NCSE member Adrian Melott, who has won the 2002 Joseph A. Burton Forum Award of the American Physical Society. This award is given annually by the leading professional physics society "(t)o recognize outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society." Dr. Melott, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas, was cited "(f)or his outstanding efforts in helping to restore evolution and cosmology to their proper place in the K-12 scientific curriculum.

On January 24, 2002, the West Greene school board voted 6-2 to allow young-earth creationist Steve Grohman (who maintains a web site at ) to address students during an assembly during school hours on March 25. Those not wishing to attend could choose not to do so. High school principal Brian Jackson reviewed a tape from Grohman, who asserts that evolution is not true science and that both creationism and evolution should be taught in public schools, according to a story in the Washington, Pennsylvania, Observer-Reporter on January 25.