Science Writing for News Outlets

An 8-week professional development opportunity for Ph.D. students at MSU

You will learn skills to develop strong ideas, identify potential publishing outlets, how to pitch your story to editors, identify and interview potential sources, and adapt your writing to a general audience.

Each participant will be expected to produce one reported article or op-ed piece that is ready for publication by the end of the eight weeks.

Lead by Matthew Miller, Editor and Storytelling Coach for the Lansing State Journal and Battle Creek Enquirer, and seasoned journalism mentor.

The cohort will have no more than 6 students.
The success of this project is based on 1) your commitment to the work, 2) your commitment to the group. We want everyone to be successful in writing and publishing a piece, which will require every participant to commit to their project and provide consistent support to each other. Commitment and ability to meet deadlines is more important than prior writing experience.

If you do not think you will have capacity (mid-May through mid-July) to commit to learning, writing, editing, and engaging with peers, then please consider applying at a later date.

Total program length: 8 weeks

First meeting will take place the week of May 18. 
All meetings will be virtual, so no “need” to travel.

• Weekly group meeting via Zoom to cover journalism “basics” and discuss topics like journalism ethics, impact metrics, writing for a general audience, etc.
• Weekly virtual one-on-one meeting with Matt Miller, your editor/mentor
  The focus of the one-on-one meetings will be helping participants to develop story ideas around their own research, craft reporting plans, edit their manuscripts and identify news outlets that might publish their work

Eligibility

Open to Ph.D. students in good standing at MSU. Priority will be given to students in the MSU BEST program (this counts as an externship) and STEM fields (due to the funding source). We hope to replicate this program in the future for Ph.D. students across disciplines.

To apply

Deadline is May 8. Send a letter of interest and a copy of your CV to Julie Rojewski, Director of Ph.D. Career Development, at rojewsj@msu.edu.

In your letter, please describe your research in general terms, why you are interested in this project, and what you will bring to the team of students with whom you will work closely.

This opportunity builds upon a pilot program we conducted a year ago, where STEM students were able to publish their work in a variety of outlets, to great reception. They were able to bring their research to a wider audience, and it is an impressive line for a CV.