✍️Science Writing News Roundup #232

Tip Sheet: Vetting Science-Related Claims + Protecting sources and navigating sensitive stories.

Mar 27, 2025

The Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award, given annually since 2022, recognizes and supports reporting and writing that embodies the high standards embodied by Sharon Begley (1956–2021), an exceptionally skilled science journalist of unflinching dedication, moral clarity, and commitment to mentoring.
The award comprises a career prize, recognizing the accomplishments of a mid-career science journalist, and a grant of at least $20,000 to enable the winner to undertake a significant reporting project. Candidates should have been working journalists for at least 8–10 years, including significant experience in science journalism, or provide equivalent evidence of commitment to the field. Time spent as an editor counts toward eligibility.
CASW aims to consider a highly competitive and highly diverse pool of candidates and encourages all mid- or later-career journalists to consider entering. There is no entry fee. Staff and independent journalists living and working anywhere in the world are eligible if their work has appeared in news outlets that are available to international audiences. Although the award can be won only once, there is no limit on the number of years one can enter. For the 2025 award competition, submitted work samples must have been published in English. Applications are due April 30; apply via Submittable.

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👩‍🔬Opportunities

Submissions are OPEN for the fifth annual Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards. The CCNow awards honor journalistic work in every medium, from all over the world, on many critical aspects of the climate story. Work from any time in 2024 is eligible, and there's no fee to enter. The deadline to enter is March 31 at 11:59pm US Eastern Time.
Want to study science communication & journalism in Germany? Check out the new English-language, tuition-free Science Communication Master’s Program at Hochschule Ansbach - University of Applied Sciences. In this 3-semester program, you won’t just learn how to communicate science well, but also how to critically assess the quality of scientific studies and evidence.
More opportunities and calls for pitches 👉Bonus content for monthly supporters.

📒Articles

Ahmad Gamal Saad-Eddin on the Intersections of Science and Human Experience: As a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, Saad-Eddin is working on his most personal project yet – a book that weaves the history of medicine with his own story of loss and discovery.
How can science literacy help people better understand the news? Nancy Averett, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign lecturer of journalism and expert in science and environmental journalism spoke with News Bureau physical science and media editor Lois Yoksoulian about how science literacy can help the American public make more informed choices.
Creating a New Nonprofit Outlet to Investigate Wildlife Crime: Rachael Bale is an award-winning journalist specializing in wildlife and environmental issues. She is the co-founder of Wildlife Investigative Reporters & Editors (WIRE), a nonprofit investigative journalism outlet focused on wildlife crime and environmental exploitation.

📌Resources

Tip Sheet: Vetting Science-Related Claims. In the course of your reporting, you may encounter scientific claims coming from university press releases, companies, or government officials. Don’t take these at face value just because they’re framed as science! As with any sort of journalism, be curious but skeptical, and remember that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. This tip sheet covers:
- Where to look for evidence
- How to ask an outside expert for help
- Red-flag terms to look out for
- Common conflicts of interest
How to protect your phone and data privacy at the US border. With reports of people being turned away at airports over messages found on devices, here’s what to do to minimize risks.
How to enter the US with your digital privacy intact. Crossing into the United States has become increasingly dangerous for digital privacy. Here are a few steps you can take to minimize the risk of Customs and Border Protection accessing your data.

🔎News

Outrider Fellowships Support Emerging Journalists at Inside Climate News: In 2025, Outrider will support multiple ICN student fellows reporting on climate and the environment. The first two Outrider fellows are Anika Jane Beamer, a graduate student at MIT, and Andrés Muedano, a sophomore at Harvard College.
23 Journalists Selected for the AI Journalism Lab: Adoption Cohort. The AI Journalism Labs at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, created in partnership with Microsoft, introduced the next cohort of the program — the AI Journalism Lab: Adoption. This group of 23 journalists, reporters, producers, and managers from across the globe will learn strategies to effectively adopt AI practices.

📝Videos & Podcasts

🌍Events

SCIENCE TALK ’25, April 3-4, 2025 at McKimmon Center in Raleigh, NC… and virtually everywhere starting March 10th
Protecting sources and navigating sensitive stories (April 2, 2025)
More events 👉Bonus content for monthly supporters.

✍️Jobs

Bonus content for monthly supporters.

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