NileWell 2023 Scientist-Journalist Co-Production Fellowship Program

The NileWell platform is launching this program, aiming to connect journalists and scientists in the Nile Basin. In partnership with the Nile Basin Capacity Building Network Foundation and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and with funding from the JRS Biodiversity Foundation and IHE Delft’s Water and Development Partnership Programme, the co-production fellowship program seeks to enhance communication between the scientific community, media, and various audiences in the Nile Basin. This includes local communities, individuals, organizations involved in water and environmental conservation, and policymakers.

The program’s objective is to foster collaboration between scientists and journalists working in or around water-related fields, promoting better understanding and engagement with scientific research through effective communication. By joining forces, scientists and journalists will make science more accessible, comprehensible, and captivating for both themselves and the public.

Journalists interested in water and the environment, as well as scientists and researchers from diverse disciplines focusing on water and/or environmental topics such as climate change, biodiversity, water quality, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), water infrastructure, hydrology, and social sciences in the Nile Basin countries, are invited to apply for this program running from May to December 2023.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Professional journalists with an interest in reporting on water-related science
• Scientists and researchers from various disciplines working on water and/or environmental topics

Benefits of NileWell Scientist-Journalist Co-Production Fellowship Program

• In-person residential training workshop for scientists and journalists, facilitating effective collaboration
• Follow-up online training and mentorship sessions on specific topics
• Collaborative projects between scientists and journalists to produce communication outputs
• Events that bring scientists and journalists together to showcase their work to the general public

Selection:

• 16 participants (8 journalists and 8 scientists) will be selected for the fellowship program
• Training will cover biodiversity reporting, transboundary water resources reporting, science journalism, science communication, and data journalism
• Participants will co-produce communication outputs based on the scientists’ research, including stories, podcasts, Twitter threads, blog posts, short videos, MoJo videos, and more.