Apply! Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists

Do you have the knowledge and context to bring your news audience accurate, science-based stories about hurricanes, hazardous drought conditions, coastal storms, flooding and other extreme impacts caused by climate change? Would you like the tools, resources and understanding to investigate and break stories on important environmental issues? If yes, then apply for 20th Annual Science Immersion Workshop.

The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting is accepting applications for its 20th Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists.

The Metcalf Institute Workshop provides journalists with hands-on experience and expertise from leading scientists and policymakers who are working to project the impacts of climate change, identifying adaptation measures, and investigating the most effective ways to communicate these challenges. While focusing on local and regional U.S. examples, the Workshop addresses topics of global significance.

Ten journalists will be awarded fellowships, which include tuition, room and board, and travel support, thanks to the generosity of private donors and Metcalf Institute’s endowment.

Deadline
12 February 2018

Value
Metcalf Fellows will:
-Receive a comprehensive overview of climate science and global change
-Gain a deeper understanding of how scientists conduct research and handle scientific uncertainty
-Develop the skills and confidence to translate the language of scientific journals for news audiences
-Build confidence in their abilities to discern the credibility of scientific sources
-Board a research vessel to study the impact of rising water temperatures on ecosystems and fish populations
-Visit wetlands, shorelines, and coastal communities to better understand adaptive management efforts and solutions in response to sea level rise and coastal storms
-Gain scientific background on the science of “attribution,” or how extreme weather events are tied to climate change
-Discover new ways to write about climate change to build audience understanding and engagement
-Cultivate new sources by interacting with leading researchers and policy experts in an informal, off-deadline atmosphere
-Network and develop lasting relationships with journalists from around the globe

Eligibility
The Fellowship is designed for early- to mid-career, full-time journalists from all media who are looking to start or expand their coverage of the environment. Applicants must demonstrate a need for training in topics relating to climate change and extreme weather in coastal environments.
Note for internationally-based journalists: The Workshop focuses on the science and policies underlying globally significant issues from a U.S. perspective. Metcalf Institute receives applications from journalists worldwide. However, due to funding limitations, only two of the ten fellowships will be awarded to journalists based outside of the U.S.

Application
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