Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award for Journalists
Candidates must be experienced journalists who have compiled a substantial body of work in science journalism, defined as print, audio, video, and online reporting on science, health/medicine, environment, mathematics, and technology.
Eligibility
Candidates should have been working journalists for at least 8–10 years, including significant experience in science journalism, or provide equivalent evidence of commitment to the field. Time spent as an editor counts toward eligibility.
CASW aims to consider a highly competitive and highly diverse pool of candidates and encourages all mid-career science journalists to consider entering. Toward that end, there is no entry fee, and applications will be accepted online. Staff and independent journalists living and working anywhere in the world are eligible if they have published in news outlets that are available to international audiences. Although the award can be won only once, there is no limit of the number of times one can enter.
Current CASW board members, staff, and contractors, as well as members of their households, are ineligible. Journalists who have served on the Sharon Begley Award Advisory Committee become eligible three years after their service ends.
Components of an award entry
Each entry consists of work samples, supporting documents, and a project proposal.
Work samples
The submitted body of work should include three to five published clips or other work samples that illustrate the candidate’s best work in science journalism. Eligible work includes:
podcasts
Submissions may include data narratives and visualizations. Video and audio stories must have been scripted as well as reported by the candidate.
If collaborative or produced work is submitted, candidates must detail their reporting and writing roles. In the case of multi-author reported features, the candidate should have done a significant portion of the reporting.
Submitted work should have been published in English. Self-published work is excluded.
Supporting documents
The entry should include a cover letter making the case for the candidate and the proposed project. Elements of a successful letter:
Additional personal information:
may have to do with journalism advocacy or teaching work, mentoring, or innovation;
may be about the arc of the applicant’s career: education and experience, the pivot into science journalism, excursions into other fields;
Overall “why now? why me?” pitch for proposed project.
A resume should be submitted. The resume should include details that help the judges assess a candidate’s commitment and broader contributions to science journalism as well as the candidate’s career and publication record. The resume should include, as applicable:
The entry should include one to three supporting letters:
Project proposal
Each candidate must submit a project
proposal describing a reporting and writing project to be undertaken with the award grant. The proposal:
A simple budget is required. The purpose of the budget is to support the plan of work and show the judges how the grant will enable the proposed project. The budget may include:
The candidate should plan to begin reporting within six months of the award.
Projects that include developing and pitching a book proposal may be submitted.
In the case of a book proposal, the plan should include securing a publishing contract within 18 months. For all other projects, the timeline should aim for publication within two years.
Project mentoring and requirements
CASW will provide the award winner with a mentor to support the project. Ideally, the mentor will be a senior science journalist who has successfully completed a project of similar scope and type and has worked in the same medium. An awardee may decline mentorship.
In signing the grant letter, the awardee will agree that:
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award for Journalists