Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Alfred P. Sloan Script Competition at Carnegie Mellon University.

May 29, 2024

Elle Thoni

First place ($25,000):
TAMARACK by Elle Thoni

When plans for the U.S.’s first “green nickel” mine threaten the heart of Minnesota’s wild rice, a returning chemist and a rebellious hydrologist must come together to protect the Northland and steer the course of America’s Clean Energy Revolution — despite their own undeniable chemistry.

Katie Kirk

Second place ($15,000):
THE THALLIUM MURDERS by Katie Kirk

After a multiple-murder case rocks Depression-era New York City, it’s up to forensic toxicologist Dr. Alexander Gettler to find the cause of the deaths. Based on a true story, The Thallium Murders stylistically dramatizes Gettler’s quest to discover scientific truth and exonerate an innocent man.

Gretchen Suárez-Peña

Third place ($5,000):
FOR SUCH A TIME by Gretchen Suárez-Peña

In this coming-of-age story, Luz, a Latin Pentecostal preacher’s kid, earns the opportunity to research the Miyake Event, suspected to be a solar flare event that can fry all technological infrastructure. She must risk her parents’ rejection in order to become the forward-looking scientist she was meant to be.

“Congratulations to all the participants,” said Rob Handel, head of the Dramatic Writing program at CMU. “Thanks to all the scientists who partnered with us as consultants, this year representing The University of North Carolina at Charlotte; The University of California, Davis; Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science, University of Dundee; Mississippi State University; Gustavus Adolphus College; University of Queensland; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of Toronto; University of Hawaii at Manoa; and the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute & Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences. Thank you to Melissa Martin, the selection committee, and the staff of the CMU School of Drama. Special thanks to guest faculty Lisa Sanaye Dring, Alesia Etinoff, and Tracy Held.”