March 5, 2019, by Lindsay Brooke

British Science Association Media Fellowships 2019 – applications for UoN placement open 11 March

For the fifth year running the University of Nottingham is funding a place on the British Science Association’s (BSA) Media Fellow Scheme. All the details are here.

What the experts say

“The beauty of this scheme is that it is not trying to ‘turn’ scientists into journalists.  But instead it is trying and succeeding in sending a group of researchers back into their labs as champions for the importance of media engagement.”  Fiona Fox, Chief Executive, Science Media Centre.

“Journalists and academics have the same goals. We both create and disseminate knowledge – we just talk in different dialects.” Dr Jonathan Sullivan, Director China Policy Institute, the University of Nottingham.

“There’s nothing quite like jumping in at the deep end and trying it for yourself. It is the only way to really understand how the media works.” Dr Denis Schluppeck, School of Psychology, the University of Nottingham.

Experience the media – first hand

Want to know why media engagement is so important? Understand how the media works? Find out what makes a good news story? Learn to condense detailed research into a few paragraphs or short news report? Then this scheme is for you.

The University press team will give you all the support you need. All we ask is that you come back from your placement and help spread the word as an ambassador for media engagement across the university. You will also support the press team with media requests and media workshops. And, if you aren’t already on it, we will make sure your profile is added to our media guide to expertise.

You could be the ninth University of Nottingham academic to experience, first hand, what life as a journalist is really like. So far the university has sponsored placements in some of the country’s most prestigious news organisations – The Times, the Guardian, the FT, BBC Science, even the Jeremy Vine Show.

30 Years old and still going strong

The BSA has been running the media fellow scheme for over 30 years and it is as popular as ever. If you want to know more about the scheme have read, or listen, to what other Nottingham Media Fellows have had to say about their experience. All the guidelines and information can be found here.

Roll call of previous Nottingham media fellows

Jonathan Ball

Jon Henderson

Philip Oldfield

Denis Schluppeck

Spencer Hazel

Jonathan Sullivan

Rebecca Dewey

Angus Davison

 

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