Scientist recieves technical writing award.

NOROCK wildlife biologist Rick Sojda received an award for the best decision support paper (2007) from the journal, Environmental Modelling and Software. As described by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief, the aim of the awards is to recognize those authors whose papers epitomize the aims and scope of the journal. Sojda’s paper, Empirical evaluation of decision support systems: Needs, definitions, potential methods, and an example pertaining to waterfowl management, met these criteria and the selection committee stated, “empirical evaluation methods are discussed and informed by an example of evaluation of a decision support system for trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) management, developed using interacting intelligent agents, expert systems and a queuing system.”

The certificate of award was presented at the 2008 Congress of the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society in Barcelona, Catalunya (Spain). Sojda's paper was joined by two other papers and authors from around the world who were recognized in the categories of integrated modelling, and generic modelling and software.

Sojda is based out of the NOROCK headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. His expertise is in the following disciplines: wetland and waterfowl ecology and interdisciplinary wetland studies; radar ornithology; artificial intelligence, and computer technology, decision support, and ecological modeling; and effects of wind power on birds. His current projects include migratory bird studies and modeling efforts in the areas of wetlands, migratory bird routes, and wildlife and wind energy.