Marcin Sawicki , Tyna Legault Taylor and Michelle Dao have been named the winners of the 2025 SWCC Book Awards.

The annual awards, administered by the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada, recognize outstanding contributions to science writing by Canadians. The winners were announced on Sept. 23.

The SWCC Book Awards recognize outstanding contributions to science writing by Canadians.

Two prizes are awarded in the main categories: general and youth. A third award, the Paradigm Prize, recognizes underrepresented perspectives in science writing. The winner for that award is selected from the finalists for the two main categories.

The winner of this year’s general award is Marcin Sawicki for Webb’s Cosmos: Images and Discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope, published by Firefly Books.

Sawicki is a professor in the Department of Astronomy and Physics and Canada Research Chair at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

The winners of both the youth award and the Paradigm Prize are Tyna Legault Taylor and Michelle Dao for their picture book, Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?: Celebrating the Seasons, published by HighWater Press/Portage & Main Press.

Tyna Legault Taylor is a member of Attawapiskat First Nation and is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sciences at Lakehead University, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Michelle Dao is a Vietnamese-Canadian illustrator based in Toronto.

The winners of the general and youth categories each receive $1,000, while the winner of the Paradigm Prize receives $500.

Shortlists for the awards were announced by the association in June.

The SWCC is comprised of media professionals, technical writers, educators, and communications officers in science and technology-related institutions.

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