Metcalf Institute

Advancing informed, inclusive public conversations about science and the environment

Gretchen Ertl

Metcalf Institute fosters informed, inclusive public conversations about environmental issues by conducting science training for journalists, communication training for scientists, and a variety of public programs.

Based in the URI College of Environment and Life Sciences, Metcalf Institute collaborates with academics, state and federal agencies, non-profits, businesses, community representatives and news organizations nationwide to develop customized programs and resources that improve and expand news coverage of environmental topics.

Programs

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Journalist Training

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Scientist Training

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Public Events

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2023 ANNUAL REPORT

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News

Meet the 2025 SciComm Identities Project Fellows! - The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute, Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, and the URI Science and Story Lab are excited to introduce the third and final cohort of SciComm Identities Project Fellows! Out of a competitive applicant pool, fourteen Fellows were selected to participate in the third cohort of this innovative science communication […]
Announcing 26th Annual Workshop for Journalists Fellows and Finalists! - Metcalf Institute has selected ten Fellows for the Institute’s 26th Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists! The Annual Workshop is a weeklong immersion program designed to help Fellows gain new insights, engage deeply with scientists, researchers, policy makers and community members to aid their reporting, expand peer networks with journalists from around the globe, and […]
Announcing the 2024 SciComm Identities Project Fellows! - The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute, Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, and the URI Science and Story Lab launched the SciComm Identities Project (SCIP) to prepare the next generation of science communicators from underrepresented ethnic and racial backgrounds. The ambitious five-year project, supported by a $2.8 million collaborative National Science Foundation […]