Application Deadline: January 15, 2024
Every year, the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT offers academic-year fellowships to 10 science journalists from around the globe, giving them an opportunity to explore science, technology, and the craft of journalism; to concentrate on a specialty in science; and to learn at some of the top research universities in the world.
Eligibility Requirements
The program is designed to recognize journalists from around the world who demonstrate a high level of professional excellence and accomplishment as well as a long-term commitment to their craft. Journalists from all countries compete on an equal basis and are encouraged to apply.
To be eligible for a KSJ Fellowship, applicants must:
- Be full-time journalists, whether on staff or freelance. Part-time writers or producers are not eligible.
- Have at least three consecutive years of experience covering science, health, technology and environmental reporting.
- Be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. This includes work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.
Program Details
The fellowship program is divided between activities arranged by the Knight Science Journalism staff and self-directed activities.
Seminars: Fellows’ time in Cambridge is enriched by regular seminars from top researchers and media professionals.
Field Trips: KSJ organizes several trips each year to locations of special interest to science and technology writers. Past destinations have included the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME, and the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA.
Skill-Focused Workshops: The number of storytelling channels open to journalists is multiplying, and we want our Fellows to return to the workforce with more technical skills than they had coming in. Each year we include a few skills-based workshops. Past workshops have centered around mobile video, still photography, digital editing, data journalism, and podcasting.
Course of Study: Fellows audit courses at MIT, Harvard, and other colleges and universities in the area. As long as fellows include one science course each semester, they have immense flexibility in choosing the suite of courses they wish to attend. Professors of these classes must approve the fellows’ request to audit.
Benefits
- Fellows receive a $85,000 stipend paid out in installments over 9.5 months
- Relocation allowance
- Basic health insurance for each fellow and their family
Timeline:
November 15, 2023: Application Opens
January 15, 2024: Application Closes at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time
January – March: Applications will be reviewed by a panel of distinguished science journalists, including KSJ Director Deborah Blum, KSJ Associate Director Ashley Smart, and Undark Chief Editor, Tom Zeller Jr.
Early March: From the initial pool of applicants, semifinalists are selected to participate in a round of video interviews. Semifinalists are typically notified of their status in early March. If you are not selected as a semifinalist, you will be notified at this time.
April: The 10 recipients of Knight Science Journalism fellowships are usually announced in April.
For further questions, please email knight-info@mit.edu.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship 2024/2025
