Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award Grant

The Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award, established by the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, will honor outstanding mid-career science journalists starting in 2025. This prestigious annual award recognizes exemplary reporting and writing that reflects the dedication and skill of Sharon Begley. It includes a grant of at least $20,000 for a significant reporting project, encouraging journalists to pursue impactful stories in science, health, and environmental journalism.

CASW will select the fourth winner of the Sharon Begley Science Reporting Award in 2025. The award, to be given annually, will recognize and support reporting and writing that embodies the high standards exemplified by Sharon Begley (1956–2021), a science journalist of unflinching dedication, skill, moral clarity, and commitment to mentoring. The Sharon Begley Award comprises a career prize, recognizing the accomplishments of a mid-career science journalist, and a grant of at least $20,000 to enable the winner to undertake a significant reporting project.
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.
An award honoring Sharon Begley
This award is intended for science, health, and environmental journalists whose careers and work embody the extraordinary qualities of Sharon Begley’s journalism, which was known for:
depth, especially scientific depthwriting that helps the reader understand scienceprecision and care in explaining scientific evidenceauthorityapproachability, humor, and respect for the readerexhaustive reporting; careful, thorough sourcingpowerful, vivid, clear, humane writing and masterful storytellingfearless pursuit of truthmyth-busting and ground-breaking reportinginsight
Although the award is not given to recognize character or virtue, the judges may also consider evidence of a candidate’s:
advocacy for journalism, fact-based public discourse, public accountability, quality and rigor in the communication of sciencecollaborative skill and successful work as a member of a teammentorship and professional generositycourage, toughness in the face of barriers; leadership and trailblazingattention to social issues in journalism, including equity and inclusion in newsrooms and sourcing, and coverage that attends to issues of marginalization and injusticecommitment to high-quality journalism and service to readers
Candidates are not required to have won any previous awards. Journalists who have served on the Sharon Begley Award Advisory Committee become eligible three years after their service ends.