Deadline: February 28, 2019
Applications are open for the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program at MIT 2019-2020. The KSJ@MIT supports a global community of dedicated and thoughtful journalists specializing in science, health, technology and environmental reporting.
Every year, the Knight Science Journalism Program (KSJ) offers 10 science journalists a nine-month fellowship — geared to the August-to-May academic year — designed to enable them to explore science, technology, and the craft of journalism in depth, to concentrate on a specialty in science, and to learn at some of the top research universities in the world.
Each Fellow largely designs his or her own course of study, with consultation offered by the director and the KSJ staff. Fellows are required to produce a research project during the academic year, which can form the basis of a future story, the foundation of a book proposal, or simply be a detailed report on an area of science. All fellows will do a formal presentation on their projects at the conclusion of the fellowship year.
Fellowship
- Fellows receive a stipend of $70,000 as well as some additional benefits, including basic health insurance. Under the terms of MIT residency, fellows must refrain from paid professional work during the course of the 9-month program, unless the program director grants prior permission.
Eligibility
- 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.
Stipulations
To be awarded a Fellowship, selected applicants must agree to the following requirements:
- Reside full-time in the Boston/Cambridge area for the academic year: August 15, 2019, through May 25, 2020.
- Attend field trips, seminars, and required training sessions arranged by the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program at MIT.
- Develop a course of study that includes at least one science course per semester.
- Refrain from outside professional work during the Fellowship, unless written permission has been granted by the Director.
- Produce a well thought out research project during the academic year. The research project may be a book proposal, but fellows may not sell the proposal during the fellowship year, nor may they arrive with a contract to write a book during the fellowship year.
- International candidates must obtain a valid visa from the U.S. State Department after being awarded the Fellowship; the visa is normally sponsored by MIT. A language proficiency test (such as TOEFL) may be required as part of the visa process.
Application
The following documents are required for 9-Month Fellowship applications:
- Professional Autobiography: Provide a brief statement (500-word maximum) about why you want to participate in the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program at MIT and how it would fit with your professional goals.
- Résumé or Curriculum Vitae: Be sure to include your education and work history. (Freelancers should include a list of freelance jobs in the past 12 months. Include each story, venue, and date of publication or broadcast.)
- Research proposal: In consultation with the KSJ staff, Knight fellows will develop and produce a research project in a chosen area of science or science journalism, which should be designed to allow a fellow to explore a particular interest in depth. Fellows will deliver a formal presentation on their topic at the end of the fellowship year. All applicants should describe, in 500 words or less, a project to be developed during the desired fellowship.
- Work samples: Five relevant work samples are required. Choose samples that best illustrate your interest and abilities. Please include a translation for any work not in English.
- Professional references: Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters should come from individuals familiar with your work and should comment on your abilities and your commitment to journalism.
Semi-finalists for the Fellowship will be notified by email by April 6, 2019, and Skype interviews with program administrator Bettina Urcuioli will be scheduled for all those wishing to continue further in the process. All documents and the interviews will be reviewed by a panel of judges led by KSJ director, Deborah Blum, KSJ associate director, Ashley Smart, and Undark magazine editor, Tom Zeller Jr.
For more information, visit Knight Science Journalism Fellowship.
