Mentor: Shaun Kirby (University of Rhode Island)

Project Location

University of Rhode Island-Kingston

Project Description

Practitioners of science journalism and communication need opportunities to develop storytelling skills that allow them to explain not only scientific information but also highlight the people generating that knowledge. Although scientists themselves often take on the role of communicating research, there remains a need for individuals from other professions, namely journalism and education, to effectively communicate science through media and techniques not prioritized within academia.

RI C-AIM encompasses interdisciplinary research among undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members across eight different higher education institutions. From the development of nano-sensors to detecting nutrients in Narragansett Bay or creating computer models that predict future changes in fish populations, the scope of RI C-AIM research is broad in order to answer scientific questions regarding climate change in the Ocean State. There is thus a critical need to communicate this research via narrative to multiple audiences that hold a social, cultural and/or economic stake in the health of Narragansett Bay.

The selected SURF student will “cover” the 2022 SURF program, identifying scientific research being conducted across the RI C-AIM program that they find compelling and interviewing peers from institutions across the state. This SURF experience will introduce the selected student to techniques employed in science journalism, from idea generation, developing interview questions, writing/editing, and how to represent narratives inclusively and equitably to different audiences. The student will also be introduced to how creative media (photography, infographics, audio) can be used to enhance narratives about scientific topics.

This project involves:

• field work

Available for SURF Flex?

Yes

Required/preferred skills

No prior journalism or science communication writing is necessary, but the selected student must be committed to telling creative and empathetic stories about the faculty and students conducting RI C-AIM research.

Transportation needs

Students will be required to conduct interviews with SURF peers, which may include travel to any one of RI C-AIM’s partner institutions across the state.