February 27, 2017, by Lindsay Brooke

Applications for our 2017 BSA Media Fellowships are now open

Experience life as a science journalist

Do you want to find out, first hand, how academic research is reported by the media and play an active part in the process? For the third year running the University of Nottingham is offering funded places on the British Science Association’s  2017 Media Fellowships Scheme.

The BSA Media Fellowships Scheme provides a unique opportunity for practising scientists, clinicians, engineers, arts and social scientists to spend two to six weeks working at the heart of a media outlet such as the Guardian, The Times, BBC Breakfast and Online or the Londonist.

Following the success of last’s years involvement the University of Nottingham is once again funding three places on this increasingly popular scheme. We are looking for academics prepared to step out of their comfort zone and spend two to six weeks of the summer immersed in a media organisation working as a science journalist.

Why become a Media Fellow

Every year up to ten Media Fellows are mentored by professional journalists and learn how the media operates and reports on science, how to communicate with the media and to engage the wider public with science through the media.

After their media placement Fellows attend the British Science Festival in September. This provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience working alongside a range of media organisations from all over the UK in the BSA’s dedicated Press Centre. The Festival also offers opportunities to learn from a wide range of public engagement activities and network with academics, journalists and science communicators.

The benefits of taking part in the scheme are listed here.

How to apply

Our applications open today will close at 9am on Wednesday 22 March 2017. We are offering three funded places, one for Science, Engineering and Medicine and Health Sciences, one for Arts and one for Social Sciences. A shortlist of two applicants for each of the funded places will be chosen by the media relations team in the University press office and these will be submitted to the BSA by close of business on Friday 24 March 2017.

The candidates chosen to participate in the scheme will be matched to a host organisation through a detailed selection process led by the British Science Association. The final decision will be announced by the BSA well before the training day in London on Wednesday 17 May 2017.

Here’s the information you’ll need

All the information for the University of Nottingham funded places can be found here. There’s plenty of background material on the BSA Media Fellows website. However, to ensure you apply for a University funded place please use the appropriate application form on the University website.

If you want to know more about life as a media fellow our 2016 Media Fellows Dr Jon Sullivan and Dr Denis Schluppeck would be happy to talk to you about their experience and the benefits of taking part.

For any additional information don’t hesitate to contact me – Lindsay Brooke on 0115 9515751, lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk.

 

 

 

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