Estonian Science Journalists' Society

The Estonian Science Journalists' Society (Eesti Teadusajakirjanike Selts) is a professional association that brings together science journalists in Estonia. It was founded in 1990 and, between 1999 and 2014, operated under the name Estonian Society of Science and Environmental Journalists (Eesti Teadus- ja Keskkonnaajakirjanike Selts). The society is a small, member-based body; as of December 2021 it had 22 members. Since 2010 its chairman has been Priit Ennet. The society is best known publicly for two things: its awards recognising good science journalism, and its popular-science publishing activity. Since 2011 it has presented the Friend of Science Journalism award (teadusajakirjanduse sõbra auhind). Since 2016 it has given a collegial award called Ökuli muna; the first such recognition went to the science desk of the newspaper Postimees, and in 2020 the award went to Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa, science journalist at ERR and organisational lead of the Novaator science portal. Its online outlet, Teadusajakirjanik (teadusajakirjanik.ee), presents popular-science articles in Estonian on space, climate, health and technology, aiming to explain the latest scientific discoveries in plain and engaging language. The site carries sections on Kosmos (space), Kliima (climate), Tervis (health) and Tehnoloogia (technology), alongside an 'About us' page, and publishes articles on topics such as the James Webb Space Telescope, climate change in Estonia, mRNA vaccines, quantum computing, Estonian research projects and the science of sleep. The society therefore functions both as a professional network for Estonian science journalists and as a public-facing channel that translates research into accessible Estonian-language content. It is a non-commercial civil-society organisation rather than a company, but it operates a branded web publication and award schemes that give it a recognisable public identity in Estonian science communication.

The Estonian Science Journalists' Society was founded in 1990 as a body uniting science journalists in Estonia. From 1999 to 2014 it carried the broader name Estonian Society of Science and Environmental Journalists (Eesti Teadus- ja Keskkonnaajakirjanike Selts), reflecting an early focus that also embraced environmental journalism; in 2014 it returned to the shorter name Estonian Science Journalists' Society. Leadership has been stable in recent years: since 2010 the chairman has been Priit Ennet. The society remains a small professional organisation, with 22 members as of December 2021. Alongside its networking role, the society developed a public profile through awards and publishing. Since 2011 it has presented the Friend of Science Journalism award (teadusajakirjanduse sõbra auhind), recognising contributions to the field. Since 2016 it has given a collegial award known as Ökuli muna; the first recipient was the science desk of Postimees, and in 2020 the award went to Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa, science journalist at ERR and organisational lead of the Novaator portal. The society also runs the popular-science outlet Teadusajakirjanik at teadusajakirjanik.ee, which publishes Estonian-language articles on space, climate, health and technology, presenting recent scientific discoveries in plain language. The site organises content into sections such as Kosmos, Kliima, Tervis and Tehnoloogia, and covers subjects ranging from the James Webb Space Telescope and climate change in Estonia to mRNA vaccines, quantum computing, notable Estonian research projects and the science of sleep.

• 2021

  Society reported 22 members as of December.

• 2020

  Ökuli muna awarded to Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa of ERR/Novaator.

• 2016

  Society begins presenting the Ökuli muna collegial award.

• 2014

  Name reverted to Estonian Science Journalists' Society.

• 2011

  Society begins presenting the Friend of Science Journalism award.

• 2010

  Priit Ennet becomes chairman.

• 1999

  Renamed Estonian Society of Science and Environmental Journalists.

• 1990

  Society founded in Estonia.

Professional society and popular-science publisher explaining research in accessible Estonian.

• Teadusajakirjanik

  Popular-science website publishing Estonian-language articles on space, climate, health and technology.

• Friend of Science Journalism award

  Award presented by the society since 2011.

• Ökuli muna

  Collegial award presented by the society since 2016.

1. 1Populaarteaduslik ajakiri — Teadusajakirjanikteadusajakirjanik.ee
2. 2Estonian Science Journalists' Society — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Eesti Teadusajakirjanike Selts — Vikipeediaet.wikipedia.org