Deadline: August 1, 2025
Applications are open for the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards 2025. Since their inception in 1945, the AAAS Science Journalism Awards have honored distinguished reporting on science by professional journalists. The awards, an internationally recognized measure of excellence in science journalism, go to individuals (rather than institutions, publishers or employers) for coverage of the sciences, engineering and mathematics.
In recognition of a generous endowment in 2009 by The Kavli Foundation that ensured the future of the program, the awards are called the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards. Kavli doubled the endowment in 2015, allowing AAAS for the first time to make the competition truly international. All categories of the competition are now open to journalists doing work for independent news organizations around the globe.
Categories
- Science Reporting – Large Outlet: Text pieces in print or online from large newspapers with a circulation of more than 150,000 (largest single day, including digital subscriptions) and digital-only publications with a regional or national audience. Online-only news outlets with 50 or more staff employees are included in this category. An entry can include a themed series (submit three parts for judging) or up to three related or unrelated pieces combined. Total of 5,000 words or less.
- Science Reporting – Small Outlet: Text pieces in print or online from small newspapers with circulation of 150,000 or less (largest single day, including digital subscriptions) and digital-only publications with a local audience. Online-only news outlets with fewer than 50 staff employees are included in this category. An entry can include a themed series (submit three parts for judging) or up to three related or unrelated pieces combined. Total of 5,000 words or less.
- Science Reporting – In-Depth: An entry of more than 5,000 words for a newspaper, magazine or online site. Entry can be a single story; submission of two or three related or unrelated pieces as a single entry of more than 5,000 words; or a themed series of 5,000 words or more (submit no more than three parts for judging).
- Magazine: Stories in print magazines, on magazine websites or in digital-only magazines. 5,000 words or less. An entry can include up to three related or unrelated pieces, totaling no more than 5,000 words. Includes Sunday magazine sections of newspapers.
- Video In-Depth Reporting: Segments or programs longer than 20 minutes. Includes stand-alone online videos.
- Video Spot News/Feature Reporting: Segments or programs totaling 20 minutes or less. Includes stand-alone online videos.
- Audio: Radio or Podcast.
- Children’s Science News: Open to journalists working in any medium – print, broadcast or online – for excellence in reporting science news for children, including young teens up to age 14.
Benefits
- In each category, there are two awards: Gold, with a prize of $5,000, and Silver, with a prize of $3,500. The awards are presented each year at the AAAS Annual Meeting in February.
Eligibility
- Open to reporters doing work for independent news organizations around the world.
- Articles must be readily accessible to the public by subscription, newsstand sales or online access. If the submitted work was published or broadcast in a language other than English, you must provide an English translation.
Application
The entry deadline for the 2025 contest is Friday, August 1, 2025. They encourage you to enter your best work for judging by your peers. There is no entry fee.
For more information, visit AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards.
