Richard Zurawski

Well, all things must pass, and so it is, here at Rogers Radio in the Maritimes, that we say good-bye to an era.

AK has left the building for the FAN in the ‘Big Smoke.’ For the past five years AK has been my friend, co-worker and science files originator. Has it really been five years of ‘stump the science chump’, ‘take my 20’ and railing against the AGW denier knuckleheads? 250 hours in the booth with AK, week in and week out, mostly in the studio but sometimes over the phone from the Ukraine, or Toronto and always, always, fun, interesting and stimulating.

I am a confessed science geek whose goal in life is to understand the complicated and complex marriage between the media and what we take as science and then communicate that to anyone who will listen. AK on the other hand is a true people person, someone who viscerally understands what it is that people want to hear and why they tune in. The fact that he had no interest in quadratic equations or nuclear isotopes matters not one whit.

His innate curiousity, razor sharp intellect and unique take on things was a perfect mix for the ‘science files.’ Rather than be threatened or intimidated, as so many media types are when confronted with science, retreating to cliches, stereotypes and simplistic stories, AK embraced the challenge and reveled in it. Pushing me and my perception of how science should presented on radio, making science a field of fun and frolic, he explored science ‘what ifs,’ fielded callers questions, often joining in with is own store of knowledge, displaying a remarkable ‘wiki’ of his own. And now it is over. Just like that.

AK is leaving for greener pastures and plying his own, unique brand of talk over the Toronto air waves. It has been a pleasure, pure and simple to work with AK and he will be missed. And I have learned a lot from a guy who likes to figuratively twist the cat’s tail to see what happens.

Thanks for taking the chance on science my friend, putting it out there to mingle with all the other millions of conversations, giving it life and above all respect.