CALS Producer Wins Rocky Mountain Emmy® Award

Sandra Westdahl and Landmark Stories were honored for their outstanding achievements in the annual awards focused on television and other media.

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The University of Arizona documentary team Landmark Stories were nominated across four categories in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences during a virtual ceremony on September 19.

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Producer and videographer Sandra Westdahl received an individual Regional Emmy® Award in the Photography Program for her work in “A Dancing Scientist.” The award recognizes her artistry for the moving images, also known as cinematography, in the short documentary film about a University of Arizona student who dances in-between the worlds of science, art and loving yourself. 

“It is an honor to be recognized with an award from your industry peers,” said Westdahl. “Especially, since there’s so many people doing creative storytelling today.”

The Rocky Mountain region includes Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and El Centro, California. Judging occurs on an annual basis, with each entry compared to a standard of excellence on its own merit (not competing with other entries).

This is her first award in a photography category. In the past five years, Westdahl has won 12 Regional Emmy® Awards and nominated for 26, as well as four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and one National Edward R. Murrow Award. The Landmark Stories team were recognized with four national Telly Awards in June 2020. Westdahl joined the CALS community in November 2018 from Arizona Public Media.

The 2020 Landmark Stories nominations included:

• HUMAN INTEREST-PROGRAM FEATURE/SEGMENT
  • The Making of a Metalhead Scientist
  • Landmark Stories at The University of Arizona
    • Sandra Westdahl, Producer
    • Galen McCaw, Sound Mixer
    • John Casamasa, Camera Assistant
• SOCIETAL CONCERNS - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE/PROGRAM FEATURE SEGMENT
  • A Dancing Scientist
  • Landmark Stories at The University of Arizona
    • Sandra Westdahl, Producer
    • Galen McCaw, Sound Mixer
• EDITOR - PROGRAM (NON-NEWS)
  • The Making of a Metalhead Scientist
  • Landmark Stories at The University of Arizona
    • Sandra Westdahl, Editor

Founded in 2019, Landmark Stories is supported by Communications and Cyber Technologies department in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). They are dedicated to producing cinematic, character-driven short and long-form documentaries that bring us closer together and closer to science.

The Landmark Stories team is always looking for stories within CALS and the broader University of Arizona community. Visit their website (https://landmarkstories.arizona.edu/) to see more of their stories and contact the team via email (landmarkstories@arizona.edu).

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