Poetry Winners Announced
Date Released: 29 January 2011Winners of the ESRC Genomics Forum Poetry Competition were announced during a reception held on Saturday 29 January 2011 at the Scottish Poetry Library.
Visitors were able to chat with the winners and judges before enjoying readings of selected winning and shortlisted entries.
First Prize: Sophie Cooke, Edinburgh - Forward Deck (PDF 12 KB)
Second Prize: Nina Boyd, Yorkshire - Digital (PDF 9 KB)
Third Prize: Russell Jones, Edinburgh - Chromosome Medley (PDF 13 KB)
Honourable mentions (in no order):
- Scott Edward Anderson - Improving the Human: The Poet Gene (PDF 12 KB)
- Katie Gooch- Made (PDF 15 KB)
- Ron Howland - One of those (PDF 11 KB)
- Ami Roseingrave - Unchained melody of genes (PDF 12 KB)
- Tony Williams - Improvements (PDF 11 KB)
Hosted in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library, the competition received over 200 entries from across the globe including America, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Uganda and India.
A competition report (PDF 22 KB) was complied by the judging panel consisting of Pippa Goldschmidt (writer and Genomics Forum Writer in Residence) the inspiration behind the competition, Kona Macphee (poet), Professor Steve Yearley (Director ESRC Genomics Forum) and Peggy Hughes (Communications Officer, Scottish Poetry Library).
Read Poetry Competition press release - Winning poem offers a new twist on `improving the human’
Photo of Sophie Cook and Steve Sturdy
Credit Chris Scott
Biographies of Prize Winners
Sophie Cooke is an Edinburgh-based poet, short story writer, and novelist. Her poetry has previously appeared in the magazines Product and Gutter. She performed at the recent Hidden Door festival in the Roxy Art House. Sophie's novels The Glass House and Under The Mountain have been published by Random House; The Glass House being shortlisted for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Her short stories have been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, and have been broadcast on BBC Radio. This is the first time she has been shortlisted for a poetry prize. Sophie is originally from Callander, in Stirlingshire, and studied at the University of Edinburgh. She currently lives in Newington. Further details at www.myspace.com/sophiecooke
Nina Boyd lives in Huddersfield, where she is an active member of a thriving poetry community. She was the overall winner of the 2009 Poetry Business Book and Pamphlet Competition. Her first collection, Dear Mr Asquith, was published by Smith/Doorstop Books in 2010. For more information visit www.ninaboyd.com
Russell Jones is an Edinburgh-based writer and researcher. He is currently investigating the science fiction poetry of Edwin Morgan whilst tutoring in Scottish Literature at Edinburgh University. Russell's collection of science fiction poems, The Last Refuge, was published in 2009 (Forest Press) and his work has won recognition in a number of international competitions including the Eric Gregory Award (2007),The Bridport Prize (2007-2009) and the Writer’s Bureau Poetry Competition (2010). Russell's research interests are in contemporary poetry and poetic form and he has given talks across the UK on the interactions of science and literature. He currently co-moderates writersdock.org 's poetry department and writes articles on children's literature for therustykey.com . His ramblings can be followed on his blog: poetrusselljones.blogspot.com
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