"Lawrence Goodman wrote a thoroughly engaging feature story on a complex scientific topic: The search for dark matter, which makes up a huge part of the universe and remains a mystery. He turned what could easily have been a dry account about a little understood theoretical particle (of interest mainly to high energy physicists) and turned it into a lively, human-interest story. You don't have to be a scientist or science student to find this article informative, highly engaging, and pride-building for Brandeis. "The Light at the End of the Tunnel" deploys all the conventions of excellent storytelling—suspense, drama, character, and details—to convey how Brandeis scientists are contributing to one of the great physics experiments ever undertaken.
After conducting initial research on the topic and interviewing key Brandeis scientists on campus, Goodman traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where the experiment was taking place one mile underground in an old gold mine. He spent time in the converted gold mine talking to physicists and shadowing them in their work.
The story resonated with readers of all kinds and feedback was very positive. The article illustrated the "bench depth" of Brandeis Science."
From the Judges
A near-perfect feature story. Took a subject that is nearly beyond comprehension to the layperson and made it digestible and easy to understand. What we enjoyed most was that the research facility was basically a character itself. Sending the writer to the site was a smart use of resources.
