Civic Science Storytelling Award

The Civic Science Storytelling Award supports an early-career UK journalist to establish a home for the practice and teaching of civic science storytelling at the University of Oregon, as part of the Civic Science Fellows network.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission in partnership with the Rita Allen Foundation is offering an award for an early-career journalist with a deep knowledge of science, and a passion for public engagement, to play a role in building public awareness of civic science. 

The award is part of the Civic Science Fellows programme, which invests in a cohort of leaders to foster new collaborations, allowing science and research to more meaningfully connect with diverse communities and our shared civic life.  

Hosted for up to a year by the University of Oregon’s Center for Science Communication Research (SCR), the Civic Science Storytelling Fellow will:    

• Produce and curate a body of journalistic work reporting on civic science  
• Develop a teaching tool kit for telling stories about civic science  
• Work with researchers at SCR to assess the impact of civic science journalism on communities traditionally wary of science and scientists  
• Play an active role in the Civic Science Fellows network   

Over the period of the award, the fellow will pursue their own reporting on civic science for a variety of media outlets while working with colleagues at the SCR to source best practice examples of civic science journalism and to establish a teaching framework that can be used for both university students and professional journalists. Alongside the journalistic activity, the awardee will also be part of the Civic Science Fellows cohort and will participate in regular webinars and in-person as well as online convenings, helping to build connections and collaborations between communities of interest in the UK and the US.  

The selected fellow will be paid in total a stipend of US$80,000 plus benefits (health insurance for the fellow). There will also be a travel allowance. The fellow’s J-1 visa will be sponsored by the University of Oregon. 

Application requirements

A UK citizen – we also welcome candidates from British Overseas Territories
Science journalism professional, preferably early career, looking to engage in the practice and teaching of journalism in order to further the understanding of civic science 
Available for 9-12 months ideally from June/September 2022 to June 2023 
Dual US-UK citizens, US Green Card holders, or individuals who are resident in the US at the time of application are ineligible to apply 

Application process

Please apply by 11.59PM Sunday 3 April 2022 through the Fulbright Commission's application portal where you will be asked to complete the following:

Supply your CV
Upload a cover letter (no more than 300 words)
Provide an essay of no more than 500 words that tells a story about civic science (that you have either reported or learned about elsewhere) and also explains why you believe the story to be a good example of civic science.
Complete the US-UK Fulbright Commission Supplemental Form
In addition to completing the online application, you will need to supply two recommendation letters. Recommendation letters should be sent by referees with the candidate's name in the subject line to [email protected].

Further information and apply here