The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT is pleased to announce that the Victor K. McElheny Award will accept nominations between December 15, 2024 and January 31, 2025. The award recognizes outstanding coverage of science, public health, technology, or the environment at the local or regional level. The winning journalist or team of journalists will be presented with a $10,000 prize.
The Victor K. McElheny Award was established in 2018 by the Knight Science Journalism program’s founding director and storied science journalist Victor McElheny and his wife Ruth McElheny as a way to recognize and reward the critical but under-appreciated work being done by science journalists on a local level.
As our information landscape rapidly evolves, so does the world of science. Science journalism is critically needed on the local level. Science pervades our daily lives, offering opportunities for both understanding and accountability. Communities need journalists who are asking the right questions, communicating science clearly to the public, and incorporating the lived experiences of those impacted by the science. Local and regional journalists have a central role in promoting science literacy and critical thinking skills, helping assure that even in the smallest communities people have access to information that allows them to see the ways research — and its environmental and health impacts — affect their lives.
The McElheny Award defines “local and regional” widely. Science stories from newspapers, small magazines and digital sites, broadcasters, podcasters, and even bloggers are eligible — as long as the platform’s primary mission is to serve a local or regional audience. Submissions must have been published in 2024. Be sure to review the full submission and eligibility guidelines before getting started.
Learn more about the award and our mission to showcase impactful local and regional science journalism on the Victor K. McElheny Award page.
