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Search Results: 76
Fellowships & Grants

AAAS Mass Media Fellowships

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

"This 10-week summer program places science, engineering, and mathematics students at media organizations nationwide. Fellows use their academic training as they research, write, and report today’s headlines, sharpening their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to the public." The program typically accepts applications in the fall for a fellowship in the summer of the next year, which includes trainings in Washington, D.C., and placement at a media organization. Upper-level undergrad students, graduate students, and postdocs in science and engineering fields are eligible to apply. For the 2025 program, the deadline to apply is January 1, 2025, and the fellowship will take place June 4-August 19.
Resource Database / Guide

Science Reporting Quick Tips — The Open Notebook & SciLine

SciLine, The Open Notebook

"To cover science well, journalists have to enter the scientific world a bit themselves, by reading research papers, interviewing scientists, and evaluating evidence. Whatever your background, these are concrete skills that any journalist can sharpen. To pave the way, The Open Notebook and SciLine have teamed up to distill key science reporting skills into a series of quick-hit resources for journalists with deadlines to meet." The series includes tip sheets on finding expert scientific sources, finding and including diverse sources, making sense of scientific studies, and stats terms for covering science.
Fellowships & Grants

The Open Notebook Early-Career Fellowship

The Open Notebook

"The Open Notebook offers a paid, part-time fellowship program for early-career science journalists. During the course of this fellowship, fellows work with a mentor to plan, report, and write articles for publication at The Open Notebook and become part of the TON editorial team. This one-year program offers fellows the opportunity to explore their career interests and passions and to sharpen their skills as part of a talented, supportive, diverse community of past and present fellows and mentors. This fellowship is made possible through the generous support of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, which has supported this program since 2012." For the 2025 cohort, the remote, part-time fellowship will begin on February 24, 2025, and includes a stipend of $6,600. Applications are due October 31, 2024.
Workshop

EurekAlert! webinars for journalists

EurekAlert!, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

EurekAlert!, the science press release service from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is offering a new webinar series for students and early-career science journalists to help these EurekAlert! members make the most of the service. The first webinar, focused on embargoes, took place on August 30 and will repeat monthly after that.
Article

Science journalism internships for early career scientists

"Ever wondered what it’s like to swap a pipette for a pen? Imagine turning yours and other’s discoveries and passion for science into compelling stories that captivate a wider audience. Welcome to the thrilling world of science journalism, where your knack for curiosity and love for storytelling can take you from bench to byline." "I’ve collected a list of internships, mostly three-month or summer positions, that you should consider. If the opportunity doesn’t indicate that it will open for summer 2025, keep the website in your bookmarks in case the program runs every two years."
Article

How to build a science writing portfolio when you have no experience

"Putting a portfolio together is not complicated once you have a few assignments under your belt. But it's a different story for newbies, and I can't count how many first-time writers have asked me how they can get a portfolio when no one will give them a chance to start." In this article, communicator Joachim Eeckhout shares recommendations for building a portfolio, including creating a blog, guest posting, and using social media.
Video

SciCommers Mentor Chat Series

Boston University

SciCommers is a free network for scientists and engineers to improve their science communication skills and connect with science writing opportunities, hosted by Boston University. In the network's monthly Mentor Chats, communication experts video-chat with SciCommers about topics including how to start a podcast, science outreach, freelance science writing, and more. Past Mentor Chats are posted on the SciCommers YouTube channel.
Article

How to pitch to a science editor

"Successfully pitching a story to a science editor requires a wide range of skills, from researching their outlet to communicating with them in a professional way. In this practical guide, we have compiled advice from six different science editors with extensive experience in commissioning pieces for a number of different outlets including Science, BBC Focus Magazine, New Scientist, the Mail and Guardian and SciDev.Net. Following the advice in this guide will increase the chances of getting your story accepted by an editor."
Article

How to successfully pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else)

In this article, Tim Herrera (who was, at the time, Smarter Living editor at the New York Times) explains some common do's and don't's of pitching freelance journalism articles. He writes: "After consulting with about a dozen editors who commission stories at publications ranging from small, niche blogs to national magazines and newspapers, I’ve pulled together the six most common mistakes freelancers make when pitching — and what you can do to impress an editor."
Academic program

U.S. degree programs in science, health, or environmental writing

The Open Notebook

The Open Notebook has compiled a list of "more than 50 U.S. university-based programs that offer specialized undergraduate or graduate degree programs and/or individual courses (which may be available to undergraduates, graduate students, or both) in science, health, or environmental writing." Some of these programs also appear as independent entries in Connector's library.
Resource Database / Guide

Sci Comm Resources — Dan Vahaba

Dan Vahaba is the director of communications at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. He compiled this Google doc full of science writing resources, including articles and books to read, tips about how to pitch, conferences, academic journals, newsletters, and more.
Resource Database / Guide

Being a Science Journalist

Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT

"So you want to be a science journalist? People arrive at science journalism from all manner of professional backgrounds. Whether you’re a scientist ready for a career change, a journalist interested in specializing in a science-related beat, a student, or a recent graduate, this curated list of resources can help you get started on your journey." Resources include: Breaking In, Learning the Craft, Societies and Conferences, Academic Programs, Internships and Fellowships, Freelancing.