Climate & Environmental Science Fellowship for Local Journalism
A groundbreaking initiative that focuses on local newsrooms — not individuals in newsrooms — and their specific challenges in reporting on climate and environment science issues for their communities.
The Climate and Environmental Science Fellowship for Local Journalism is a new initiative designed to support local newsrooms in their efforts to report on the science of climate and environmental change. Importantly, this fellowship focuses on local newsrooms — not individuals in newsrooms — and their specific challenges in reporting on these issues for their communities. This fellowship aims to address the challenges that local newsrooms face when covering these critical issues, providing the training and resources needed to produce long-term, accurate, equitable and impactful coverage that serves their communities. The first cohort for the fellowship will focus on newsrooms in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
With more than 25 years of experience in training journalists to communicate science with accuracy and accountability, Metcalf Institute has developed this fellowship to help newsrooms increase their capacity for science supported, community-focused climate and environment reporting. The fellowship is specifically tailored to the needs of local newsrooms, rather than individual journalists, ensuring that the entire newsroom benefits from the training and resources provided.
Fellowship Benefits:
Interactive Training: Workshops led by University of Rhode Island faculty and regional experts, focused on translating complex climate and environment science into compelling news stories relevant to local communities.
$1000 Stipend: Each participating newsroom will receive a stipend to support a named fellow who will help embed the training within the newsroom.
Coaching: Three months of coaching from Metcalf Institute’s journalism experts, offering guidance on long-term strategies for sustaining accurate and accountable local climate and environment coverage.
Metcalf Institute is a global leader in professional development training and programs for public audiences, benefitting more than 3200 journalists, scientists, and science communicators, as well as their audiences, since 1998.
Our proven training model has a significant multiplier effect, helping millions of news consumers worldwide access accurate, contextual environmental news coverage that relates environmental science and environmental justice to daily lives and sparking essential conversations that address these complex issues.
Metcalf Institute integrates this work across the University of Rhode Island as well as beyond the university.
In all our programs, Metcalf Institute advocates for and amplifies marginalized and underrepresented voices in science, journalism, and science communication. We build and support an international network of science communicators via the biennial Inclusive SciComm Symposium to prioritize inclusion, equity and intersectionality and dismantle the legacies of racism and exclusion in these professions.
Mission
Metcalf Institute provides education, training and resources to journalists, scientists and science communicators across career stages with the aim of engaging diverse public audiences in evidence-based conversations about science and the environment. We approach this mission with a focus on equity and inclusion, so that all perspectives are valued in the process of identifying and solving environmental challenges.
Vision
Metcalf Institute envisions robust public discourse about environmental challenges and solutions that incorporate evidence and justice. The perspectives and experiences of Metcalf Institute alumni combined with the knowledge, skills and confidence gained from Metcalf training and network-building, will seed and advance equitable environmental protection.
University of Rhode Island Land Acknowledgment
The University of Rhode Island occupies the traditional stomping ground of the Narragansett Nation and the Niantic People. We honor and respect the enduring and continuing relationship between the Indigenous people and this land by teaching and learning more about their history and present-day communities, and by becoming stewards of the land we, too, inhabit.
This land acknowledgement was written by members of the URI community in close partnership with members of the Narragansett Tribe.
Tourist's guide to Rhode Island
Post-Session Survey
After each session, we ask that all participants complete a very brief survey to share questions, insights, and feedback about their experience. Please click below to complete the survey:
https://form.asana.com/?k=VxIlOrIPH7FxhXrdr5l7kQ&d=949500251446451
Entrance Survey
While we understand if it takes a little longer, we ask that at least one person from each newsroom complete our entrance survey by January 31. Please complete this survey as you would have prior to the start of the fellowship. This survey is more comprehensive, but the responses will be extremely helpful in evaluating the impact of the fellowship and ensuring we provide the best possible support for your newsroom during the program. There will be a similar exit survey at the end of the fellowship.
https://forms.gle/y7sMvJiSa9wZvBae6
Optional: C.A.R.E.S. Media Initiative Survey
Our partners at the C.A.R.E.S. Media Initiative, in collaboration with the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, are conducting a study on the mental health resources environmental and climate journalists need. This anonymous survey explores how reporting on climate issues impacts journalists, their audiences, and their sources, and will inform the development of future trainings and resources. The survey is open to U.S.-based journalists who have worked in the field for more than six months in the past two years. It is anonymous, and takes 20-30 minutes to complete.
https://utulsapsychology.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6lIRmglHlvWPaXc
Participation in this survey is not a requirement for this Metcalf fellowship. For questions about this C.A.R.E.S. survey, contact William Price (wap8096@utulsa.edu), Amanda Gentz (agg5225@utulsa.edu), or Professor Elana Newman (elana-newman@utulsa.edu).
All newsrooms receive a $1,000 stipend as part of the fellowship. Contact Jana Cochran at jana.cochran@uri.edu to receive your stipend, or with any questions or concerns.