FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Program (Round 3)

The FRONTIERS project is scheduled to run from 2023 to 2027. Throughout this period, up to 40 science journalists will have the opportunity to spend time with research teams and pursue their own reporting ideas, in total independence, at an institution of their choice.

FRONTIERS journalists in residence primarily focus on ‘Frontier research’ and engage with inquiries that reside at the cutting edge of available knowledge. Often characterized as high-risk/high-reward endeavors, ‘Frontier research’ may be complex to elucidate and particularly challenging to present to the public in a balanced and responsible way.

Aims

• The FRONTIERS initiative aims to empower science journalists to bridge the gap between complex scientific discoveries and public understanding. As an essential link between scientific endeavours and society, journalists play a crucial role in communicating high-risk/high-reward frontier research responsibly and accurately.
• By fostering independent journalism, this initiative wants to give journalists opportunities to learn and work on in-depth reporting projects by immersing themselves in the research environment and interacting with scientists and scholars.
• The main aims are to:
  • Enhance journalists’ professional development
  • Foster critical thinking and ethical reporting
  • Bolster public trust in scientific institutions
  • Promote curiosity about frontier research
  • Strengthen mutual learning of scientists and journalists

Benefits

• Selected journalists will embark on residencies at European research institutions, pursuing independent reporting ideas or delving into specific frontier research fields. Participants benefit from:
  • Fellowship residencies of 3 to 5 months
  • Unrestricted access to diverse research areas
  • Networking and training activities
  • Opportunities for cross-institutional experiences
  • Independence and credibility in reporting

Funding Information

• Grant amount: €600,000,00
• Expected duration of participation: 3-5 months
• Selected fellows will be entitled to receive a monthly payment covering travel, accommodation, any potential taxation (applied on the individual and/or the institution) and eligible daily expenses up to 4,000 euro (early-career) 5,000 euro (mid-career), or 6,000 euro (established), based on EU rules.

Eligibility Criteria

• For Journalists
  • Early-stage career only: up to five years of experience
  • Professionals across various media formats producing independent journalistic content
  • Commitment to full-time engagement during the residency
• For Host Institutions
  • Located in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries
  • Hosts cutting-edge research groups across any scientific field
  • Committed to providing essential support and full independence to resident journalists

Application Requirements

• Applicant Journalist
  • Name
  • Nationality
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Career level application: early career
  • Gender
  • Country of residence
  • Date of birth
• Host Institution(s)
  • Host Institution(s) Name
  • Country
  • Name of FRONTIERS Manager at Host Institution
  • Email of FRONTIERS Manager at Host Institution
  • Residency Project
  • Length of the residency
  • (Tentative) Project title
  • Project Description
  • Frontier research
  • Impact on the communication of frontier research
  • Names of scientists’ collaborators
  • Scientific Domain (Physical Sciences and Engineering, Life Sciences, and/or Social Sciences and Humanities) and sub-domains (optional);
• Budget
  • Budget justification
  • Requested Grant
• Documentation
  • Professional CV: Describe your professional experience with a particular focus on the following aspects: expertise and experience and their relevance to the field to be covered in the project; commitment to journalism, in terms of involvement in networking and mutual support with other science journalists, nationally and internationally; previous participation in science journalism events (professional conferences, festivals, workshops); previous interactions with researchers (such as in-depth interviews, periods spent in research facilities, and living with researchers) (max. 4000 characters).
  • Work samples: in a single PDF file, provide up to 10 relevant work samples from the last two years. Choose samples that best illustrate your interests and abilities. For audio and video samples, you may provide links, ensuring they are open. For any work not produced in English, please provide a summary translated into English.
  • Recommendation letter(s) (optional)in a single PDF, provide up to 3 recommendation letters by people familiar with your work.
  • Commitment letter by the science journalist: provide a commitment letter, signed by the applicant journalist.
  • Commitment letter by the host institution: provide a commitment letter, signed by a representative on the letterhead of the candidate host institution.

For more information, visit European Commission.