Recognition, Honors and Awards

8/09 - 5/10, Ted Scripps Fellow in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado.

10/08, Best Non-Fiction Award Winner in the National Best Books 2008 Awards presented by USA Book News.
 
6/05, First Place Self-Illustrated Story, Lowell Thomas Awards of the Society of American Travel Writers.
 
6/05, First Place Feature Story, Connecticut Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
 
6/05, John W. Patton Scholarship winner, Wesleyan Writers Conference.
 
3/04, First Place Multiple Page Feature Picture Story, Pictures of the Year International Competition.
 
11/02, First Place General News Photograph, National Press Photographers Monthly National Clip Contest.
 
4/99, Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Coverage as a member of the team covering the murder of executives of the Connecticut Lottery.
 
9/95, Third Place Feature Photograph, Society of News Design.
 
9/92, Third Place Sports Photograph, National Press Photographers Monthly National Clip Contest.
                             
9/87, First Place Sports Photograph, 1987 New England Associated Press News Executives Association Annual Photo Contest.
 
10/86, First Place Sports Photograph, National Press Photographers Monthly National Clip Contest.
                             
7/86, First Place Spot News photograph, 1986 New England Associated Press News Executives Association Annual Photo Contest.
 

Michael's book
High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed appeared as a question on the game show Jeopardy! in the category of Nonfiction on December 4, 2009.

 

Here's the transcript from the show:

"I'll take Non-Fiction for $800, Alex.”


"'High Crimes' tells the fate of this mountain in an age of greed."


Blank stares….buzzer.


“Talking about. . .  Mt. Everest. Dave, back to you."

 

Now if only the $800 the contestants didn't win was available to the author...