This highly competitive program strengthens the connections between scientists and journalists by placing advanced undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate level scientists, engineers and mathematicians at media organizations nationwide. Fellows have worked as reporters, editors, researchers, and production assistants at such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, WIRED, and Scientific American. The Mass Media Fellows use their academic training in the sciences as they research, write and report today's headlines, sharpening their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to non-specialists. Participants come in knowing the importance of translating their work for the public, but they leave with the tools and the know-how to accomplish this important goal.
For 10 weeks during the summer, the AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows collaborate with media professionals at radio and television stations, newspapers, and magazines. As part of their job, the student-scientists and their host-journalists strive to make science news easy for the public to understand. The fellowship program is designed to enhance coverage of science-related issues in the media in order to improve public understanding and appreciation of science and technology. Fellows have the opportunity to observe and participate in the process by which events and ideas become news, improve their communication skills by learning to describe complex technical subjects in a manner understandable to the lay public, and increase their understanding of editorial decision making and the way in which information is effectively disseminated. In its 45+ year history, the program has supported over 800 fellows.
Deadline: Jan. 1, 2024
- Applicants must be enrolled as college or university students (graduate, doctoral, or upper level undergraduates) — or within one year of a completed degree — in the physical, biological, geological, health, engineering, computer, or social sciences or mathematics in order to apply.
- Students enrolled in English, journalism, science journalism, or other non-technical fields are not eligible for these fellowships.
- Successful applicants are required to attend an orientation at AAAS headquarters at the beginning of the summer (early June) and a wrap-up session at the end of the summer (mid-August). They will prepare reports on the progress of their fellowships throughout their placement.
The Fellowship is open to international students who are already studying in the United States and who hold visas that allow them to receive payment for work during the summer. AAAS cannot assist in obtaining/retaining visas. The Fellowship is also open to US citizens studying abroad, as long as they can pay their way back into the US for the Fellowship.
Fellows are provided a weekly stipend of $500 as well as travel expenses to and from AAAS and their sites.