In our daily lives, uncertainty and complexity are a given. We strive for our own understandings of the world and, through our work, seek to help others achieve theirs. Journalism is a formidable framework for comprehending such complexity and engaging others through stories of human experience around science and research.
Through The Open Newsroom, a partnership between RI-NEST and URI’s Metcalf Institute, undergraduates will assume the role of a local journalist and develop a deeper understanding of science issues facing RI communities. Through their work, Open Newsroom fellows will support public conversations about research and its role in society and culture.
2026 Program of Events
Open Newsroom Kickoff: Tuesday, May 26
@University of Rhode Island, Avedisian Hall, Room 105
Fellows are introduced to program activities and expectations, as well as hear from student journalists. Closed to public
Portfolio Pitch Night: Tuesday, June 16, 5-7pm
Virtual, RSVP forthcoming
Fellows present reporting plans to interested attendees from Rhode Island’s research and news communities, gathering valuable feedback to develop their news portfolios. Open to public
Metcalf’s Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists:Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24
Fellows meet professional journalists and dive deeper into the craft of communicating science for public audiences Closed to public
Community Conversation Night: Friday, August 14, 5-7pm
@Rhode Island College (Gaige Hall, Room 200, RSVP forthcoming)
Fellows present their news portfolios and interested members of the public share perspectives on issues of science and research impacting Rhode Island communities. Open to public
Over 12 weeks, students will:
- Explore topics of interest and conduct journalistic research.
- Establish trusting relationships with community members and expert sources to ethically report on issues of mutual interest.
- Engage with mentors, peers and journalism professionals from across RI to develop a portfolio of creative pieces of journalism.
- Reflect on how science journalism and the Open Newsroom experience impacts their perspectives on science and society.
At the fellowship’s end, students will have:
- Built authentic relationships with community members to report on issues of science ethically.
- Identified credible sources and summarized essential information about a science topic through journalistic research.
- Created engaging, solutions-based news pieces that capture the current moment around an issue and made research accessible to non-expert audiences, as well as human experiences of those trying to solve environmental, societal and economic issues via science.
RI NSF EPSCoR is supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation under EPSCoR Cooperative Agreements #OIA-2433276 and in part by the RI Commerce Corporation via the Science and Technology Advisory Committee [STAC]. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation, the RI Commerce Corporation, STAC, our partners or our collaborators.