Taylor-Blakeslee University Graduate Fellowships - Special Reporting Grant

Focus: Support for graduate students in science communication and journalism to undertake career-launching enterprise reporting projects.

Geographic Scope: United States (graduate students at U.S. universities)

Eligibility:

• Current Taylor-Blakeslee University Graduate Fellows
• Master's-level students in science communication, journalism, or related fields
• Fellows selected through the main Taylor-Blakeslee program

Award Details:

• Amount: $5,000 per grant
• Purpose: Fund field reporting trips, travel, and project execution for independent reporting projects
• Project Focus: Can cover environmental science, climate change, infectious disease, water issues, and other science topics

Funder: Brinson Foundation underwrites the main fellowships and provides these follow-up grants

Selection Process: Panel of CASW board members review proposals and select winners based on:

• Ambitious but focused project plans
• Fresh topics of public interest
• Deep appreciation for field reporting and immersive research
• Strong ability to communicate science to lay audiences

Background: Established to challenge Taylor-Blakeslee Fellows to propose high-impact enterprise projects that leverage their graduate training and entrepreneurial talent. Multiple awards have been given since at least 2016.

Application Process

• Submit a detailed project proposal
• Proposal should include:
  • Project description and objectives
  • Travel/reporting plan and locations
  • Expected outputs (articles, photography, multimedia)
  • Budget for field work
  • How the project leverages graduate training
  • Relevance to lay audiences
• Applications reviewed by CASW board members
• Selection based on proposal quality, feasibility, and potential impact