“Why fund frontier research? The role of journalism in answering a crucial question for society”: Event at IIT on September 5

“Why fund frontier research? The role of journalism in answering a crucial question for society”: Event at IIT on September 5

On September 5, 2025, the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa will host an event exploring the relationship between frontier science and journalism. Organised in collaboration with FRONTIERS and the Association of ERC Grantees (AERG), the initiative will bring together researchers, policymakers, and science journalism organisations to discuss why funding frontier research matters and how journalism can help society address this question.

Speakers will include representatives from research and science journalism: Maria Leptin, ERC President; Giorgio Metta, IIT Scientific Director; Michele Mazzola, Head of the Office for the Internationalization of Research at MUR; Michele Guerrini, Italian Counsellor for Research and Innovation to the EU; Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament and STOA member; Agnieszka Wykowska, AERG board member and IIT researcher; Axel Cleeremans, AERG President and Professor at Université libre de Bruxelles; Agnès Vernet, President of the European Federation for Science Journalism; Edward Day, Press Officer at the Science Media Center in London; Terry O’Connor, Head of Special Projects at EMBO; and Marcin Monko, Head of Sector Media and Content at the ERC. Daniela Ovadia and Fabio Turone (CESJ and FRONTIERS) will present insights from the project’s first year.

Participation is open to all, subject to registration and until capacity is reached. The event will take place at IIT’s Auditorium in Genoa, Italy, starting at 10:00 CEST.

Visit this page for more information and the full programme.

FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Programme Receives 31 Applications in Third Call

FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Programme Receives 31 Applications in Third Call

The third call for applications to the FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Programme closed on May 6, 2025. This round was open exclusively to early-career science journalists seeking to spend three to five months in residency in research institutions across Europe.

The call received a total of 31 applications from journalists of 20 nationalities. Applicants submitted project proposals to be developed in research institutions across 14 countries.

Applications will now be reviewed by members of the FRONTIERS consortium and its Advisory Board. The results are expected to be announced in July 2025, and selected journalists will begin their residencies later this year.

Since its launch, the FRONTIERS Residency Programme has supported science journalists from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities. To date, 16 journalists have completed or are currently undertaking residencies at European research institutions.

FRONTIERS Info Day – 31 March 2025

FRONTIERS Info Day – 31 March 2025

The next FRONTIERS Info Day will happen on 31 March 2025, at 14:00 CEST. This online session will provide an opportunity to learn more about the third call for applications for the FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Programme.

While this round of the FRONTIERS fellowships is exclusively for early-career science journalists, this Info Day is open to anyone interested in the programme.

Agenda

  • Introduction to the FRONTIERS project and residency programme (15 min)
  • Overview of key FAQs (5 min)
  • Q&A session – a chance to ask the FRONTIERS team any questions (40 min)

Event details

  • Date: 31 March 2025
  • Time: 14:00 CEST
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Platform: Zoom
  • Live-stream: FRONTIERS YouTube Channel (@FRONTIERS_media) – The recording will be available afterwards.

Register here.

FRONTIERS Info Day Session to Take Place on 10 March 2025

FRONTIERS Info Day Session to Take Place on 10 March 2025

The next FRONTIERS Info Day will take place on 10 March 2025, at 14:00 CET. The online session will offer participants the opportunity to learn more about the third call for applications for the FRONTIERS Science Journalism Residency Programme.

While the third round of the FRONTIERS fellowships is dedicated to early-career science journalists only, this Info Day is open to everyone interested in the programme.

Agenda

  • Introduction to the FRONTIERS project and residency programme (15min)
  • Overview of the FAQs (5 min)
  • Q&A session, where participants can ask the FRONTIERS team questions. (40 min).

Event details

  • Date: 10 March 2025
  • Time: 14:00 CET
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Platform: Zoom
  • Live-stream: FRONTIERS YouTube Channel (@FRONTIERS_media) – A recording will be available after the event.

Register here.

FRONTIERS launches dedicated call for early-career science journalists

FRONTIERS launches dedicated call for early-career science journalists

FRONTIERS announces a new call for applications for its Science Journalism in Residency Programme, funded by the European Research Council (ERC). This third call is exclusively aimed at early-career journalists and will remain open until May 6, 2025, at 17h00 CEST. 

Science journalists with up to five years of experience are invited to apply for a residency at a research institution of their choice, in an EU Member State or a country associated with the EU’s Horizon Europe Programme. The residencies, lasting between three to five months, should focus on frontier science topics, in collaboration with scientists.

The third round of FRONTIERS residencies offers emerging science journalists the opportunity to develop high-quality, independent journalism in an increasingly difficult media environment. 

Early-career journalists are particularly vulnerable to these challenges, including deteriorating employment conditions, increasing pressure to meet tight deadlines and a lack of resources and time for in-depth science coverage. By funding immersive experiences at the forefront of knowledge in any scientific field, FRONTIERS aims to inspire and nurture the next generation of science journalists.

Since the launch of the FRONTIERS programme, seventeen science journalists have been awarded a FRONTIERS fellowship. As the seven fellows from the first round are finishing their residencies, the ten fellows selected in round two are now starting their FRONTIERS projects in European scientific institutions.

A fourth call for applications, targeting science journalists from all career levels,  is expected to be launched later this year. 

Application process

Science journalists who have identified a host institution are invited to apply via this form. Applications must include a journalistic proposal, focusing on ongoing frontier research projects, and commitment letters from both the applicant and the host institution. Applicants can find more details on eligibility criteria and financial support for the FRONTIERS fellowships, a set of tips on how to write a FRONTIERS project proposal, frequently asked questions and more information on the FRONTIERS website. Research institutions willing to host science journalists are encouraged to express their interest in being listed in the FRONTIERS database.

FRONTIERS Fellows Gather for In-Person Training in Barcelona

FRONTIERS Fellows Gather for In-Person Training in Barcelona

On October 9 and 10, 2024, the FRONTIERS Residency Program brought its fellows together for their first in-person training workshop in Barcelona. Over two days, the FRONTIERS fellows engaged in discussions on key issues for science journalism, including ethical practices, measuring the impact of science stories, the evolving landscape of scientific publications, and the role of artificial intelligence in journalism.

The event allowed fellows to share their experiences, explore best practices in science communication, and discuss how to maintain public trust in scientific reporting. The workshop emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and adapting to the challenges facing modern science journalism.

The next step for the fellows is an online session on October 30, where they will discuss interviewing techniques for frontier science researchers and work towards a collaborative definition of frontier science.

FRONTIERS Fellows (from left to right): Javier Barbuzano, Jacopo Pasotti, Samuel Schlaefli, Zuzana Vitková, Vedrana Simičević, Aisling Irwin, and Ruairi Mackenzie.

FRONTIERS Science Journalism in Residency Program Receives 47 New Applicants

FRONTIERS Science Journalism in Residency Program Receives 47 New Applicants

The second call for applications for the FRONTIERS Residency Program closed on September 25, 2024, and received 47 applications from science journalists worldwide.

This round of the FRONTIERS Residency Program received submissions from journalists from 25 different nationalities, representing a broad range of career levels: 9 early-career journalists, 24 mid-career professionals, and 14 experienced journalists, with more than 10 years of experience. Applicants have submitted journalistic projects to be developed at scientific institutions, with 42 potential host institutions in 10 different countries, committing to offer opportunities for science journalists to report on various research areas in the Life, Physical, and Social Sciences.

Applications are currently under review by a committee of experts from the FRONTIERS consortium and its Advisory Board, with results expected to be announced by November 2024. Selected applicants will start their science journalism residences by Spring 2025. So far, 7 science journalists have become FRONTIERS Fellows.

FRONTIERS welcomes applications from science journalists of any nationality wishing to develop their projects at research institutions across EU Member States and countries associated with the EU’s Horizon Europe Program. The third call for FRONTIERS Residency applications is scheduled to open in early Spring 2025.

FRONTIERS Info Day Scheduled for 9 September 2024

FRONTIERS Info Day Scheduled for 9 September 2024

The FRONTIERS Info Day is set to take place on 9 September 2024, at 14:00 CEST. This event will provide an opportunity to learn more about the FRONTIERS project and the Residency Program for Science Journalists.

The session will feature an overview of the FRONTIERS project and its goals, followed by a Q&A session to address participants’ questions.

Event Details:

  • Date: 9 September 2024
  • Time: 14:00 CEST
  • Platform: Zoom
  • Registration: https://forms.gle/w84ukFQbmgcabVWP8
  • Live-stream: FRONTIERS YouTube Channel (/@FRONTIERS_media). A recording will be available on the channel after the event.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register via the provided link to secure a spot.

The FRONTIERS Info Day will be held on 8 July 2024

The FRONTIERS Info Day will be held on 8 July 2024

The FRONTIERS Info Day (Round 2) will take place on 8 July 2024, at 15:00 (CEST).

During this event, the FRONTIERS team will present the FRONTIERS project and the Residency Program for Science Journalists, followed by a Q&A session. Marcin Monko, Head of Media and Content at the European Research Council (ERC), will also be present to discuss the ERC’s perspective on the FRONTIERS Science Journalism Initiative.

Technical Details

Platform: Zoom
How to register: write to info@frontiersmedia.eu.
Live-stream: FRONTIERS YouTube Channel (/@FRONTIERS_media). The recording will be available on the FRONTIERS’ channel after the end of the event.

FRONTIERS journalism training premieres in Barcelona

FRONTIERS journalism training premieres in Barcelona

On June 17, 18 and 26, the University of Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona hosted a training session for early-career science journalists. This initial session served as a pilot run to test and enhance materials for the FRONTIERS Training Programme, which will be offered to all FRONTIERS’ Fellows.

Training is an important part of the FRONTIERS project and there are training sessions planned for each cohort of FRONTIERS Fellows. Each training round includes a face-to-face session, to be held in Barcelona or Lisbon, and an online session. Both sessions will be excellent opportunities for the professional development of journalists in residency and for creating a network of motivated science journalists, who can share their experiences and mutually support each other during the residency period and beyond. 

The pilot training used a case-based learning approach, to discuss topics such as “Gender Issues in Science Journalism” and “Preprints and Scientific Evidence”, involving participants in the analysis, discussion, and resolution of real-life problems. Ten early-career science journalists attended the training, including a follow-up online session, and evaluated their whole experience, leaving invaluable comments to the FRONTIERS team.  

“The course offered two particularly valuable aspects,” says Marc Masip, a journalist on the verification platform Verifica’T and collaborator in the newspaper La Vanguardia. “Firstly, the various Artificial Intelligence tools we discovered, discussed, and worked on during the sessions are extremely useful for my work. Secondly, the diverse community of participants from different backgrounds greatly enriched our discussions, adding depth and a variety of perspectives.”

“I’m going to apply some of the tools we’ve discussed” ensures Júlia Santacreu, Journalist at the UMH Sapiens magazine. “Additionally, I plan to incorporate some of the perspectives and reflections we explored, such as those on gender equality and ways to promote women in science actively.”

Results and lessons learned during this initial event will now be used to build the upcoming training session, scheduled for Autumn, in a comprehensive program directed to the mid-career and established science journalists selected in the first round of applications.