ABSW Media Fellowships
Placing scientists in the heart of a media outlet.
Overview
The ABSW Media Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for practising scientists, clinicians, and engineers to spend two to six weeks working at the heart of a media outlet such as the Guardian, IFLScience or the BBC Radio Science Unit.
The ABSW Media Fellowships:
- Engage – give scientists the confidence to engage with the media
- Foster Trust – tackle mistrust and misrepresentation
- Bridge the Gap – between journalists and scientists
- Build Understanding – between science and society
ABSW Media Fellowships are not available through individual applications. Media Fellowships are offered through a sponsoring institution or university who fund the Fellowship for their members/employees.
If you are an institution or membership body who would like to offer a Media Fellowship to your staff or members get in touch with Sallie Robins, Executive Secretary of the ABSW.
If you are an individual who would like to become a Media Fellow then speak to your employer or representative body to see if they might fund your Fellowship, and then ask them to get in touch.
Full details of the scheme can be found by watching our presentation and/or downloading a PDF version of the presentation (below).
The British Science Association (BSA) ran this scheme from 1987 – 2020 as part of their commitment to increasing the accessibility of the sciences and providing opportunities for discussion and debate.
Media Fellowships Annual Timeline
Mid-January: Institutions sponsoring Fellowships confirmed
Late January/February: Institutions advertise to their audience and take applications with support from ABSW
End of April: All Fellows confirmed*
April/May: Media Hosts approached by ABSW
May: Media Hosts consider Fellows and identify suitable candidates
End of May: Fellows informed of potential placement
June: Negotiation of placement timing and structure between Fellow and Media Host
June: Training day for all Fellows
Mid July to early October: Placements take place
November: Development meeting for all Fellows
*Fellows are usually identified by the sponsoring institution, however, if an institution would prefer that the ABSW make the final decision they would need to inform the ABSW of candidates (no more than 2 per funded place) by end of March so that ABSW can interview and make the final decision
Other UK schemes
UKRI New Generation Thinkers
This scheme offers five early career researchers the opportunity to be ‘researchers in residence’ where they will work with programme makers at BBC Radio 4 and produce a piece of writing to be recorded for radio.
https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/new-generation-thinkers-2025/
ScienceWrite Programme
The ScienceWrite Programme, supported by the Royal Society, aims to help early-stage science writers from minoritised backgrounds - based in the UK - to advance their professional development. If you have an idea for a book, an article for a journal, a blog, or another writing project and need some intel and support, you've come to the right place!
https://www.sciencewrite.co.uk/
The Maria Leptin | EMBO Science Journalism Fellowships
For life scientists wishing to transition to a career as a science journalist, the programme supports internships at media organizations of between three and a maximum of 12 months. For science journalists wishing to further their knowledge and reporting of the life sciences, the programme supports placements in a life sciences research institute for up to three months. The programme has three selection rounds per year with closing dates of 1 February, 1 June and 1 October.
Science Communication: Online and Media Writing
Do you want to hone your science writing skills? The Science Communication Unit at UWE Bristol offers an annual 10-week online course that will give participants the confidence and know-how to write clear, engaging stories that stay true to the science. Whether you’re a scientist who wants to write for lay audiences, a science communicator looking to hone your skills or someone who is completely new to the field, the Online and Media Writing course will enable you to develop your writing. The course usually takes place April to July each year. Course fees apply.
https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/USSKNP15M/applied-science-communication-online-and-media-writing
If you know of other schemes please let us know [email protected]
Latest news
Media Fellowships 2025
Six institutions have confirmed they will support Media Fellowships in 2025. New to the scheme are the University of Cranfield and the University of Hertfordshire. Bath University and The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre are returning to the scheme for a second year, with UCL Engineering and UCL Global Engagement continuing their longer-standing support.
The 2025 Media Fellows will be confirmed by the end of April and matched to a media host during May. Training will take place in June, and the Fellows will take up their placements throughout July, August, September, and October.
Find out more...
With thanks to our 2025 sponsors...
Download the ABSW Media Fellowships slide deck (as shown above - PDF version)
With thanks to University of Bath who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
With thanks to the Cranfield University who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
With thanks to the University of Hertfordshire who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
With thanks to Sainsbury Wellcome Centre who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
With thanks to UCL Global Engagement who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
With thanks to UCL Engineering who are supporting the Media Fellowships in 2025
The Class of 2024
Thirteen academics were awarded ABSW Media Fellowships in 2024. They have all completed their placements at outlets ranging from the BBC Radio Science Unit in Cardiff to The Times in London. Find out more about the Fellows and the work they undertook on placement.
Could you host an ABSW Media Fellow?
Any media outlet, in any part of the UK, can host a scientist, a clinician or an engineer, for an office-based or remote placement.
The 2023 ABSW Media Fellows have now completed their placements and produced a huge range of content from videos, to radio programmes and news pieces.
From Mermaids to the Milky Way - the 2023 Media Fellows excel as journalists
The class of 2023. Meet this year's nine ABSW Media Fellows, find out more about their research and supporting institutions, and where they are taking up their media placements this summer.
Find out how the ABSW's first ever Media Fellows got on in their placements and enjoy their output from podcasts to news and features.
Media Fellow Alumni 1987 to 2024
