Paula S. Apsell Explained

Paula S. Apsell
Birth Date:4 July 1947
Birth Place:Lynn, Massachusetts
Nationality:American
Other Names:Paula Schwartz Apsell
Occupation:Executive producer, NOVA

Paula S. Apsell (born July 4, 1947) is the television Executive Producer Emerita of PBS's NOVA and was director of the WGBH Science Unit.

Among Apsell's signature award-winning NOVA productions are "The Elegant Universe" with Dr. Brian Greene,[1] "Einstein's Big Idea"[2] narrated by John Lithgow, and "Rx for Survival" in conjunction with Vulcan Productions.[3]

Apsell is widely considered among the most influential journalists in science communications and education in the U.S. and abroad.

Early life

On July 4, 1947, Apsell was born in Lynn, Massachusetts.[4] Apsell grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts and graduated from Marblehead High School.[5] Her father, David Schwartz, was a navigator in World War II and her mother, Evelyn, opened the first consignment clothing store in Massachusetts. Her grandfather was a cobbler and an immigrant from Kiev.

Education

In 1969, Apsell graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in psychology.[6]

In 1983-84, MIT awarded her the Vannevar Bush Fellowship in the Public Understanding of Science. She studied evolutionary biology, and health policy among other topics.

Apsell received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Southern Methodist University "for her central role in enhancing public understanding of science"[7] and another from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.[8]

Career

Apsell's career began in broadcasting at WGBH.[9] Apsell is an executive producer and film director.[4]

Paula Apsell began her broadcasting career right out of college at Boston's WGBH station when she was hired to type and distribute the stations daily program logs. Within a year she was hired at WGBH radio where she developed the award-winning children's series "The Spiders Web." She also served as an on-air newsreader and statehouse reporter for WGBH radio.

In 1975, Apsell switched over to WGBH-TV as a production assistant for NOVA's second season. One of Apsell's first productions was NOVA "Death of a Disease" which was the first long-form documentary on the eradication of smallpox. In the late 1970s Apsell was producing documentaries on artificial intelligence and genetic engineering; topics that rarely existed in the mainstream prior to the 21st century.

In 1981, Apsell went to Boston's ABC affiliate, WCVB, and was a producer for medical correspondent Dr. Timothy Johnson. At WCVB, Apsell produced "Someone I Once Knew," a groundbreaking program essentially introducing the story of Alzheimer's disease and dementia into the public sphere.

Apsell was asked to take over the top post at NOVA in 1985 where she remained for the three-and-a-half decades. Among Apsell's most notable NOVA's include "The Miracle of Life" sequel "Life's Greatest Miracle," "The Fabric of the Cosmos" with Brian Greene, and "Making North America" with Dr. Kirk Johnson. Other of Apsell's acclaimed productions are the giant-screen films "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" and "Special Effects" which was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2005, Apsell launched a NOVA spin-off series, NOVAScienceNow hosted first by Dr. Neil De Grasse Tyson and later by technology journalist David Pogue.

In 2011, in addition to overseeing the NOVA franchise, Apsell taught science communications at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California Santa Barbara.[10]

In October 2018, Paula Apsell received the Lifetime Achievement Emmys Award from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences.[11] Apsell is the first science journalist to receive this award.

On May 21, 2019, WGBH announced that Apsell would be named Senior Executive Producer Emerita. WGBH also announced an annual scholarship in her name in recognition of Apsell's career achievements in science broadcasting, communication, and education. The Paula S. Apsell/WGBH STEM Boston Public School Scholarship will be granted to Boston public school students.[12] [13] Following her departure from NOVA, Apsell became CEO of Leading Edge Productions and started producing The Resistance Project, a documentary about Jewish resistance to the Holocaust.[14] [15]

Apsell is a fellow at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and served a full term on the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History board.

Apsell is a public speaker,[16] moderator,[17] and lecturer at WGBH member stations,[18] universities nationwide, film and science festivals such as Sundance[19] [20] and the Aspen Ideas Festival[21] and conferences such as TEDx.[22]

Awards

NOVA programs

"Holocaust Escape Tunnel", 2016[33]

"D-Day’s Sunken Secrets", 2014[34]

"Cold Case JFK", 2013[35]

"Engineering Ground Zero", 2012

"Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial", 2008

"Origins: How Life Began", 2004 [36]

"The Deadliest Plane Crash", 2006[37]

"Galileo's Battle For The Heavens", 2002[38]

"Cracking the Code of Life"

"Building Big"

"Surviving AIDS", 2000 (AAAS Westinghouse Journalism Award)

"Siamese Twins", 1995

"Iceman", 1993

"Machine that Changed the World", 1992

"Miracle of Life", 1983

Personal life

Apsell's husband is Sheldon Apsell Ph.D., a physicist, executive of MicroLogic, Inc and a founder of Kronos. They have two daughters.[9]

See also

Addition sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Elegant Universe. . 28 October 2003 .
  2. News: Witnessing the acts of geniuses. 2005-10-11. Los Angeles Times. 2019-05-25. en-US. 0458-3035.
  3. News: PBS' real-life medical drama. 2005-11-01. Los Angeles Times. 2019-05-25. en-US. 0458-3035.
  4. Web site: Paula Apsell . . October 24, 2018.
  5. Web site: Who is this Woman?. blogs.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2019-05-26.
  6. Web site: Legendary science journalist Paula Apsell '69 honored with Lifetime Achievement Emmy. BrandeisNOW. en. 2019-05-25.
  7. Web site: SMU Honorary Degrees. sites.smu.edu. 2019-05-25.
  8. Web site: Boyer. Lauren. Patriot-News. The. 2010-04-29. Newsweek editor to speak at Dickinson College graduation May 23. 2020-09-11. pennlive. en.
  9. Web site: NOVA - Senior Executive Producer . . August 13, 2015 . October 24, 2018.
  10. Web site: Paula S. Apsell KITP. www.kitp.ucsb.edu. 2019-05-26.
  11. Web site: Paula S. Apsell, Senior Executive Producer of NOVA, to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award – The Emmys. emmyonline.tv. 24 July 2018 . en-US. 2019-05-27.
  12. Web site: NOVA's Paula Apsell Named Senior Executive Producer Emerita. www.wgbh.org. 2019-05-25.
  13. Web site: UPDATED: NOVA Executive Producer Placed On Leave For Violating Respectful Workplace Policy To Retire. www.wgbh.org. 14 November 2018 . 2019-05-28.
  14. Web site: Paula S. Apsell . . Scientists Technologists and Artists Generating Exploration . 2021-06-23.
  15. Web site: The Resistance Project . . Leading Edge Productions . 2021-06-23.
  16. Web site: Paula Apsell Speaker Bio.
  17. Web site: Educational Uses of Public Broadcasting C-SPAN.org. www.c-span.org. en-us. 2019-05-27.
  18. Web site: An Evening with David Pogue and Paula Apsell. 2013-08-16. WTTW Chicago. en-US. 2019-05-28.
  19. Web site: Sundance Institute and Alfred P. Sloan Mark 10th Anniversary of Collaboration Sloan Panel and Jury Members for 2013 Sundance Film Festival Announced.
  20. Web site: I'll Be Your Mirror: The Science Of Ourselves Panel -2011 Sundance Film Festival.
  21. Web site: Aspen Institute: Deadly Asteroids: Can We Spot Them in Time?. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/ABAKb22Ytnc . 2021-12-21 . live. . 25 July 2013 .
  22. Web site: TEDxNewEngland 11/01/11 Paula Apsell with David Pogue, NOVA, The Fabric of the Cosmos. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/ZBZqxGRR2Pc . 2021-12-21 . live. . December 2011 .
  23. Web site: Washburn Award Museum of Science, Boston. washburn-award. en-us. 2019-05-25.
  24. Web site: 2007 Honoree Paula Apsel. www.planetary.org. en. January 30, 2020.
  25. Web site: Pioneer Award: An Executive Producer with Exceptional Passion: Paula S. Apsell. 2008-05-09. International Documentary Association. en. 2019-05-25.
  26. Web site: Columbia University Record. www.columbia.edu. 2019-05-25.
  27. Web site: NOVA: The Elegant Universe with Brian Greene. peabodyawards.com. en. 2019-05-25.
  28. Web site: NOVA: Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial. peabodyawards.com. en. 2019-05-25.
  29. Web site: Paula S. Apsell - Odyssey of Life - Peabody Award Acceptance Speech. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/jWeUxasFsOU . 2021-12-21 . live. peabodyawards.com. 25 August 2015 . en. 2019-05-25.
  30. Web site: PBS Investigates Bioterror Past, Present and Future in Two Specials Airing Tuesday, November 13 PBS About. PBS Investigates Bioterror Past, Present and Future in Two Specials Airing Tuesday, November 13 PBS About. 2019-05-25.
  31. Web site: WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 35th ANNUAL NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY® AWARDS The Emmy Awards - The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. en-US. 2019-05-25. 2019-05-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20190525233412/http://emmyonline.com/news_35th_winners. dead.
  32. Web site: Galien Award Present to Paula S. Apsell. pharmexec.com .
  33. Web site: UHart Prof's Discovery Of Holocaust Escape Tunnel Profiled On 'Nova'. CATLIN. ROGER. courant.com. 18 April 2017 . 2019-05-28.
  34. Web site: NOVA: D-Day's Sunken Secrets. Robinson. Jennifer. KPBS Public Media. 27 May 2014 . en. 2019-05-28.
  35. Web site: 'Cold Case JFK': Minds won't change. Newsday. en. 2019-05-28.
  36. Web site: The Paley Center for Media. The Paley Center for Media. en. 2019-05-28.
  37. Web site: The Deadliest Plane Crash — NOVA PBS. www.pbs.org. 2019-05-28.
  38. News: 'Galileo's Battle for the Heavens'. 2002-10-27. Washington Post. 2019-05-28. en-US. 0190-8286.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Paula S. Apsell".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.