Undergrads, apply! Deadline for Open Newsroom Fellowship this Thursday, March 26
Shaun Kirby
The Open Newsroom, a 12-week, paid summer fellowship open to STEM and non-STEM majors alike.
Through The Open Newsroom, a partnership between the NSF-funded RI-NEST (The Rhode Island Network for Excellence in Science and Technology) and URI’s Metcalf Institute, undergraduates, working as local journalists, will select a scientific topic/issue of interest and report on its relevance/impact among RI communities. Open Newsroom fellows will also support public conversations about research and its role in society and culture through their original reporting.
As journalists, undergraduates will disseminate complex scientific texts for understanding by non-expert audiences, develop interpersonal skills by conducting interviews with community members of diverse roles and backgrounds, and have opportunities for 1v1 mentorship with local news editors and reporters. Open Newsroom fellows may also have their work published in local news outlets.
Last year, our Open Newsroom fellows Sara, Dylan and Jezell covered, respectively, how brownfield sites impact underserved communities in Providence, the mental health issues facing family caregivers of loved ones with chronic illnesses, and the health impacts changing air quality has on youth among Black and Brown communities. You may view their work on our Open Newsroom webpage and share with your students.
Attached is a flyer to share with your undergraduates. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my colleague and Open Newsroom co-organizer Mel Thibeault at mel.th...@uri.edu.
Thank you greatly for your time and consideration!
Best,
Shaun Kirby