Applications are accepted for the Fellowship for Advancing Science Journalism in Africa and the Middle East.
The Knight scientific Journalism Program (KSJ) at MIT has launched a one-semester fellowship inspired by Egyptian scientific journalist Mohammed Yahia’s life and work. The fellowship was established in collaboration with Springer Nature, the publisher of Nature Middle East, which became a key contributor to science reporting in the area during Yahia’s leadership from 2010 to 2023.
The fellowship intends to deepen the skills of a journalist from Africa or the Middle East, so they may contribute to a culture of high-quality scientific and health writing in those regions, while also raising awareness of regional advancements in the rest of the world.
This will be a one-semester fellowship, held in the fall of the academic year beginning in 2024, hosted by KSJ at MIT. The fellow will join other KSJ fellows in a program of study at MIT and other Cambridge/Boston area universities and in the program’s seminars, training workshops and field trips throughout the semester.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must:
- Be journalists based in Africa and/or the Middle East with at least three years’ experience reporting on science, health or environmental issues in the region.
- Be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. This includes work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.
The applicant selected to participate in The Fellowship at MIT must meet the following expectations:
- Reside full-time in the Boston-Cambridge area for the MIT from August 16, 2024 to mid-December 2024.
- Attend field trips, seminars, and required training sessions arranged by KSJ.
- Develop a course of study that includes at least one science course. Fellows audit courses at MIT, Harvard and other area universities.
- Refrain from outside paid professional work during The Fellowship, unless written permission has been granted by the director.
Application:
Each applicant must submit the following documents:
- Statement of Purpose: Describe, in 500 words or less, why you want to participate in the Fellowship for Advancing Science Journalism in Africa and the Middle East and how it fits with your professional goals.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae: Provide a brief overview of your education, work history, and professional honors. (Freelancers should include a list of freelance jobs completed in the past 12 months. Include each story, venue, and date of publication or broadcast.)
- Three Work Samples: Please provide three (3) relevant work samples. Choose samples that best illustrate your interest and abilities. Please include a translation for any work not produced in English.
- Letter of Professional Reference: Please provide at least one (1) letter of recommendation; additional letters are optional. The letter should come from an individual familiar with your work and should comment on your abilities and your commitment to journalism. Applicants will provide the name and e-mail address for their recommenders in the application form, and letter requests will be sent to the recommenders automatically.
The Process:
The following timeline is an outline of the application process, timing is subject to change:
- February 1, 2024: Applications Open
- March 1, 2024: Applications Close at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time. References are strongly encouraged to meet this deadline, but they are given a grace period until March 4th to upload their recommendation letters. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Early-March: Applications will be reviewed by a panel of distinguished science journalists and semi-finalists will be selected for video interviews.
- Mid-March: The recipient of the fellowship will be selected. Applicants not selected will be notified by this time.
- Mid-March to April: The recipient of the fellowship will be announced publicly.
Starting in mid-March: KSJ and MIT will work with the recipient on the visa sponsorship process for the start date of August 16, 2024 and end date December 31, 2024.
