The first call for applications for the FRONTIERS journalist residencies closed on 5 March 2024 and attracted 33 submissions. The competition was open to any science journalist interested in an immersive residency of three to five months at a research institution in the EU or associated country. Applications will now be evaluated by a committee composed of members of the FRONTIERS consortium and its Advisory Board. 

In this first round of submissions, journalists from five continents applied for residencies at host institutions in thirteen different countries.  There were applications from experienced journalists and junior ones with journalistic projects in all scientific domains.

The results of the selection process are scheduled to be announced in May 2024. New applicants and unsuccessful applicants will be invited to apply in the second call, which is set to open later this year.

FRONTIERS, the ERC-funded science journalism initiative

In early 2023, the European Research Council (ERC) selected the FRONTIERS project for its Science Journalism Initiative. The project provides science journalists with the opportunity to cover frontier science topics from within research institutions, ensuring total journalistic independence. FRONTIERS aims to tackle some of the challenges of science journalism, including the deteriorating employment conditions and resources available for science journalists.

The FRONTIERS project is run by a consortium of organisations that includes the Centre for Ethics in Science and Journalism (Italy), the NOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal), the Science, Communication and Society Studies Centre of the Pompeu Fabra University (Spain), and Enspire Science (Israel), which coordinates the project.