The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT is pleased to announce that the Victor K. McElheny Award will accept nominations until January 31, 2026. 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 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 2025. Be sure to review the full submission and eligibility guidelines before getting started.
The Victor K. McElheny Award was established in 2018 — with support from the Knight Science Journalism program’s founding director, 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. The award reflects the important role journalists play in assuring that communities of all sizes have access to information concerning the ways research and technology affect people’s lives.
To learn more about the award and to see a list of previous winners who have exemplified excellence in local science coverage, visit the Victor K. McElheny Award page.
