Rick Eyerdam

Rick Eyerdam is editor of the popular web site Marsnow.info and an acknowledged expert on the history and science of space exploration. Eyerdam has won several awards from major university writing programs for his editing, writing and reporting. He is the only journalist to win the Claudia Ross Memorial Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting from the University of Florida School of Journalism two consecutive years. He is also a seasoned business reporter who brings that unique business insight into the tale of competition and intrigue among the nation's giant aeronautic research agencies. He is also a former legislative staffer and political reporter with a knack for extracting and retelling the political dynamics behind the NASA’s search for life. Eyerdam is currently Miami correspondent for Maritime Professional Magazine and editor of South East Shipping News. For the previous four years he was editor for the Journal of Commerce’s weekly Florida Shipper Magazine and a contributor to the Journal of Commerce.  The author covered the Viking Project using the substantial resources of the National Enquirer. All his interviews were tape recorded with the permission of the Viking scientists at the time.  The author retained the tapes and all the documentation he collected during his visits to JPL. Following his article on evidence of life on Mars the Viking science team applauded his reporting on the Viking mission.  Since the 1976 mission, the author went on to become an editor of South Florida Magazine, then an editor and reporter at South Florida Business Journal. He continued to collect information about the Viking project, always looking for that critical scientific paper that would, finally, explain the data. When none was forthcoming, the author decided a book was in order. Later he agreed to collaborate with Viking scientist Dr. Gilbert Levin and share resources.  The author developed his interest in the space program while growing up in Cape Canaveral at the height of the manned space program. He knows the people, the atmosphere and the excitement at the heart of story. And he was a finalist in NASA’s Journalist in Space project. The author specializes in reporting complex stories in a way that makes them accessible to the general public. His first book, When Natural Disaster Strikes: Lessons from Hurricane Andrew, details the complex plans of the health care and emergency management community in South Florida and how they fared when tested by Hurricane Andrew. Originally planned only for professionals, the South Florida Regional Health Planning Council, the sponsors of the study -- found it so readable they decided to offer it for sale to the general public.  Eyerdam was hired by the State of Florida to write the Official Guide to Florida. He wrote the History of the Florida Jewish Business Community for the Jewish Journal, the basis of the Miami Mosaic Project and he wrote much of the 25th Anniversary History of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. His analysis of the transition under new publisher Richard Capen at the Miami Herald won the William Allen White Award from the University of Kansas for local coverage in the national city and regional magazine competition.  Eyerdam's articles have appeared in The Boating News, getAbstract.com, Southern Boating, Marine Business Journal, Southern Magazine, Florida Sportsman, Redbone Journal, Fast Lane, Horizon, Pleasure Boating, Global Trade, Recommend, Us,Maritime Professional, Marine Link,  National Observer, National Enquirer, New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, The Economist Guide to American Cities, Miami Magazine, South Florida Magazine, New Times, Southern Magazine, New Miami, the Miami Jewish Tribune, Tampa Tribune, Cocoa Today, Palatka Daily News and other The author is an accomplished public speaker, former university debate team member and very quick in interview settings. He pioneered live radio broadcasts in 1990 on a Miami news radio station, twice a day, with business news and commentary. His broadcasts won the Associated Press Award for radio commentary the year he was on the air.  The author is a veteran of radio and television talk show panels and the luncheon circuit. In 1980, the Sunday before the Super Tuesday presidential primaries, he appeared on C-Span to comment on the press coverage of the on-going presidential elections. His credentials as a reporter and editor are impeccable. He is also an educator, teaching journalism as an adjunct professor at Florida International University. For the past few years the author has been an organizer and speaker at various shipping industry conferences for the Journal of Commerce and the World Trade Center, Miami discussing contemporary issue of commerce, trade, logistics and government maritime regulations. The author has a degree in English Literature and a degree in Government. He was editor of the Florida State University Legend Literary Magazine and was nominated for Poet Laureate of the State of Florida. He was an occasional visitor at the Breadloaf Writer's Conference where his writing has been embraced and encouraged by the staff – in the early days by John Ciardi, Miller Williams and Bill Meredith, later by Robert Pack, Nicholas Delbanco, Tim O'Brien, Bob Reiss and Reginald McKnight.  Eyerdam is an accomplished blogger hosting the South East Shipping News blog with an average of 4000 hits a month and Marsnow.info with 20 or so a week..