August 25, 2005

UCSD-TV Documentary Receives Gold Aurora Award

By Juanita LaHaye

UCSD Television’s “In the Shadow of White Mountain” has yet again garnered international accolades. The documentary, produced by UCSD-TV’s Rich Wargo, received a Gold Aurora Award for outstanding achievement and broadcast/cable excellence. The Aurora Award winners were announced earlier this month.

"We are delighted that our programs continue to receive such high acclaim, both by winning awards and garnering praise from our viewers," said Lynn Burnstan, Managing Director of UCSD-TV.

Nearly three years in the making and featuring the distinctive voice of narrator Peter Coyote, "In the Shadow of White Mountain" tells the many stories of the White Mountain Research Station (WMRS), a biological field station with both the highest research lab and the highest Internet node in North America. The hour-long documentary, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, includes segments ranging from the extreme hibernation of White Mountain's squirrels to what the evolution of the Willow Beetle can tell us about climate change. More information can be found at www.ucsd.tv/whitemountain.

“White Mountain’s” Aurora Award will take its place beside The Pacific Southwest Chapter Emmy Award for Best Documentary, "Certificate for Creative Excellence" by the United States International Film and Video Festival, and the Bronze Telly.

The Aurora Awards is an international competition with entries from across the U.S. and abroad. These awards are designed to recognize excellence in the film and video industries, specifically targeting programs focused on regional or special interest entertainment. Competitors come from private and corporate production groups, advertising agencies and television stations throughout the country.

The White Mountain Research Station (WMRS) is a multicampus research unit (MRU) of the University of California Office of Research, with a campus office located at UC San Diego. The station includes a base facility (Owens Valley Lab; elevation 4000') located in the high desert near the town of Bishop, as well as three facilities in the White Mountains: a montane station at Crooked Creek (elev. 10,200'), an alpine station at Barcroft (elev. 12,500'), and a remote high alpine lab on the summit of White Mountain Peak (elev. 14,250'). The combination of facilities, high elevation, year-round access, and dry air make the station uniquely valuable for scientific study and educational purposes. More information can be found at www.wmrs.edu/

UCSD-TV is a non-profit, non-commercial broadcast station licensed to the Regents of the University of California. Launched in 1993, UCSD-TV provides viewers with locally produced, regionally focused programs that enrich the public’s awareness of new ideas, key issues and local events. UCSD-TV airs on Cox Cable Ch.66; North County Cox Cable Ch.69; Time Warner Cable Ch.18; or UHF (no cable) Ch. 35. For additional program information, call 858-534-3535 or visit www.ucsd.tv