RIS4E Science Journalism Program

NASA's Remote, In-Situ, and Synchrotron Studies for Science and Exploration (RIS⁴E) Science Journalism Program highlights science in an innovative way: by instructing journalism students in the basics of science reporting and then embedding them with scientists in the field. This education program is powerful because it is deeply integrated within a science program, strongly supported by the science team and institutional partners, and offers an immersive growth experience for learners, exposing them to cutting edge NASA research and field technology. This program is preparing the next generation of science journalists to report on complex science accurately and effectively.

The RIS⁴E Science Journalism Program consists of two components: a semester-long science journalism course and a reporting trip in the field. First, students participate in the RIS⁴E Science Journalism Practicum offered by the Stony Brook University School of Journalism. Throughout the semester, students learn about RIS⁴E science from interactions with the RIS⁴E science team, through classroom visits, one-on-one interviews, and tours of laboratories.

At the conclusion of the course, several students, along with a professor and a teaching assistant, join the RIS⁴E team during the field season. The journalism students observe the entire multi-day field campaign, from set-up, data collection and analysis, and investigation of new questions that arise as a result of field discoveries. They watch the scientists formulate and test hypotheses in real time.

The field components for the RIS⁴E Science Journalism Program took journalism students into the field in New Mexico and Hawaii for a multiday field campaign. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. They gained experience and confidence with using journalistic equipment in the field and an improved understanding of how scientific research is conducted. Survey results indicate that the majority of participants are more likely to pursue science journalism as a career as a result of participating in this program. Their work is presented at http://ReportingRIS4E.com.