✍️Science Writing News Roundup #239
Céline Gounder describes “a war on science” + How to communicate science in times of crisis? + Covering science-related policy.
Seven journalists awarded 2025-26 Taylor/Blakeslee Fellowships. Seven journalists with experience in beats from medicine and biology to neurodegeneration and the environment have been awarded Taylor/Blakeslee Graduate Fellowships from the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing for the 2025-’26 academic year. Each fellow will receive $6,000 to support their attendance in a graduate science writing program, thanks to funding from The Brinson Foundation. (Image via CASW)
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🧪Articles
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Graduates Hear Blunt Critiques of Trump: Infectious disease expert Céline Gounder describes “a war on science.” You can watch the video here starting at 1:12:13.
Gounder and Faust: Defending science, research, public health, and our international colleagues. On stage and on the airwaves, we got our message out this week.
From despair to purpose: Six climate reporters on how to protect their mental health. Journalists from Brazil, Burkina Faso, Denmark, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago and the UK reflect on how they cope with the anxieties of global warming.
Battling a Climate Change Backlash: How to improve reporting on extreme weather in an age of denialism and cutbacks.
Journalists are using AI. They should be talking to their audience about it. A new toolkit from Poynter’s MediaWise, in collaboration with AP, aims to make that easier, reduce consumer anxiety through AI literacy.
Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it. The new executive order allows political appointees to undermine research they oppose, paving the way for state-controlled science.
Combating Health Misinformation in the Digital Age: Q&A with science communicator Maren Hunsberger. This interview sheds light on the vital role science communication plays in tackling one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the spread of health misinformation in the digital age.
A Day in the Life of Yessenia Funes: Yessenia Funes is a journalist who has covered the various ecological crises humanity faces for over 10 years. Her writing has been featured in Vox, The Guardian, Scientific American, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Yale Climate Connections, and more.
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🔭Opportunities
Applications for two CASW awards are due June 30! The Clark/Payne Award honors a science journalist under age 31 and the Victor Cohn Prize recognizes excellence in medical science reporting. Both awards include travel funds to #SciWri25. Apply or submit a nomination.
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💡Resources
Covering Science-Related Policy: This tip sheet for reporters is part of the Science Reporting Quick Tips series, a partnership between The Open Notebook and SciLine. When reporting on public policy, consider what scientific evidence you could incorporate to help you contextualize claims and better inform your audience.
Covering the ongoing bird flu story: Identifying appropriate sources. This post focuses on stories reporters can do on ecological health issues, including veterinary, agricultural and wildlife angles — areas that have been underreported by health journalists but are particularly important at the local level.
How to communicate science in times of crisis? A friendly guide for journalists. This guide offers a set of reflections and practical suggestions to help journalists of any background approach science communication in times of crisis more effectively.
💉News
Center for Health Journalism announces 2025 Grantees for the Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems. The 2025 class will report for a range of national and regional outlets, including The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Virginia Mercury, InvestigateWest, Capital & Main and Arizona Luminaria, as well as ethnic media publications including Univision and World Journal.
Mongabay journalist Karla Mendes profiled in new book on climate leaders. What Will Your Legacy Be?: Conversations With Global Game Changers About the Climate Crisis by author Sangeeta Waldron includes a chapter on Mendes’s investigative work and career trajectory.
🎙Videos & Podcasts
Hot Takes About Climate Journalism: NPR climate editor Sadie Babits talks about why the media has long overlooked the climate crisis, and how that’s starting to change.
How Did Science Become So Polarizing? What can the scientific enterprise do to rebuild trust across the political spectrum?
Mental Health Journalists: ‘Empathy Is My Superpower’. William Wan of the Washington Post and Caroline Colvin of HR Dive share varying approaches to producing most-read mental health stories.
Zack Savitsky: A Journalist On A Mission to Understand Our Universe. Zack Savitsky was a 2024 award winner of the National Academies' Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications.
What You Need to Know About Signal with David Huerta, Senior Digital Security Trainer, Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Solo Adventure Through Firmament by Simon Clark: In this episode of Book Science, Tripp Collins dives into Firmament: The Hidden Science of Weather, Climate Change and the Air That Surrounds Us by Simon Clark.
🗓Events
🔍Jobs
Science Editor & Newsletter Lead at Sentient (Remote, US)
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