The Knight Science Journalism Fellowship program at MIT supports a global community of dedicated, thoughtful journalists specializing in science, health, technology, and environmental reporting.
The program is designed to recognize journalists who demonstrate a high level of professional excellence and achievement as well as a long-term commitment to their profession. Journalists from all countries are encouraged to apply. The application window is from 15th November to 15th January each year.
Fellowship Description
Each year, the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program at MIT offers fellowships for an academic year to ten science journalists, to give them an opportunity to explore science, technology, and the craft of journalism; to focus on a science major; And to learn at some of the best research universities in the world. Fellows are required to audit at least one science course per semester but are otherwise encouraged to explore a wide range of offerings at MIT, Harvard, and other institutions in Cambridge and Greater Boston.
Fellows are required to complete a research project in Cambridge, Massachusetts during the academic year. The goal is for Fellows to create something that uniquely makes use of their time and experience at MIT, using the resources and connections available to them while they are here. Some elements of the research project must be journalistic in nature, but can extend beyond traditional standards and be created in any format: long form, story series, multimedia, video, audio, installation, etc. The project may serve as the basis for a future story or the basis for a proposed book, or it may simply be a detailed report on an area of science. All fellows give a formal presentation of their projects at the conclusion of the fellowship year.
Benefits
Knight Science Journalism Fellows receive a stipend of $75,000, a $3,000 relocation allowance, and other benefits, including basic health insurance for each fellow and their dependents.
Among the many Knight Fellowship programs and activities:
- Seminars: Fellows meet regularly for seminars with top researchers and media professionals.
- Field Trips: The program 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.
- Digital Media Training: 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. We offer workshops in various technologies, including mobile video, still photography, digital editing, data journalism, and podcasting.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship, applicants must:
- Be full-time journalists, whether on staff or freelance. Part-time writers or producers are not eligible.
- Have at least three full years of experience covering science, technology, the environment, or medicine.
- Be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. This includes work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.
- Applicants must not have completed a fellowship of four months or longer during the two years prior to applying for the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship.
Application Procedure
The Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program application is done online. Please check the official application page for further information before you apply.
The application window is November 15, to January 15, each yearly cycle.