KSJ News & Events

What better way to kick off the Ask Me Anything column at Hippo Reads, the new Santa Monica, CA-based publisher of academically inclined essays, than to put some cosmic questions about the shape of the universe and the feasibility of time travel to a theoretical physicist? And who better to serve as the inaugural Hippo Reads AMA respondent than a physicist who’s also an award-winning writer and historian?

I speak, of course, of David Kaiser, Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science at MIT and Department Head at the Program in Science, Technology, and Society (the Knight program’s home department at MIT). In addition to his STS duties, Prof. Kaiser is a senior lecturer in MIT’s Physics department, where he co-leads a group with Prof. Alan Guth focused on inflationary cosmology, the events that occurred in the first few fractions of a second after the Big Bang. Hippo Reads assistant editor Benjamin Winterhalter tapped Prof. Kaiser for the AMA honor after seeing him on physicist Brian Green’s recent NOVA special Fabric of the Cosmos.

Under the Ask Me Anything format, developed to a fine art by the social news …

The Energy and Climate Change Bootcamp is part of an ongoing series of short courses created by the KSJ program, which each year admits 13 exceptional, mid-career science journalists from around the world. The Fellows spend a full academic year at MIT honing their science reporting skills, and working alongside scientists and researchers in MIT labs. The only one of its kind in the world, the program has run for 31 years and created 320 alumni who are now continuing their science writing at major news outlets in 40 countries. Four times a year, the KSJ program offers the intensive bootcamps, which are attended not only by the Fellows, but also by other journalists who apply to participate.

Full Article at MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

The Tracker publishes reviews and critiques of science articles to help educate the public about quality science journalism reporting, while simultaneously elevating the reporting bar for science journalists. SHASS Communications recently spoke with Paul Raeburn, MIT Physics SB ’72, and the KSJ Tracker’s Chief Media Critic, about the goals of the Tracker and the most prevalent issues in science reporting today.

Full Article at MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Now the leading fellowship program in the world for science and technology journalists, the MIT Knights program admits 12 to 15 seasoned journalists each year to spend two terms at MIT honing their science reporting skills, while working alongside scientists and researchers. SHASS Communications recently spoke with the current Knight Fellows, to hear their perspectives on their fellowship year at MIT, and their views about the purposes and rewards of their field.

Full Article at MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Photo: U.S. Dept. of State

One morning in January, 1995, Chuck Vest and I visited the leaders of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Miami to thank them for their $5 million challenge gift for the Knight Science Journalism program at MIT, which the Institute splendidly matched with an additional $2.5 million in five annual installments. We breakfasted jovially, and Chuck presented Lee Hills, chairman, and Creed Black, president, a book of testimonials from MIT Knight Fellows, along with a Steuben crystal beaver with garnet eyes. I explained that the beaver symbolized the smart, ornery spirit of MIT students, and Chuck smiled and added another word: “nocturnal.”

It was a fine moment in Chuck’s firm and consistent backing of an unusual initiative in bolstering the knowledge and confidence of journalists who are dedicated to talking straight to the public about science and technology. He often saw the Knight Fellows three times a year, at a welcoming party, during a frank seminar about MIT’s challenges, and in the Fellows’ “graduation” in his office, a warm custom that began with Paul Gray, who flashed the green light for the program to start.

Chuck Vest’s death is a poignant moment for all the 300 Knight Fellows who have spent an academic year at MIT, and the 300 more who have joined us for our short-course “Boot Camps” on hot topics. He brought wry good humor and a firm moral sense to all his tasks. We will miss him.

Two 2010-‘11 Knight Fellows are winners of The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) 12th Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment.

Hillary Rosner was awarded First Place, Outstanding Feature Story, for her article “Attack of the Mutant Pupfish,” which appeared in the December 2012 issue of Wired.

Matt McGrath was awarded Honorable Mention, Outstanding Beat Reporting, Large Market, for his work as Environment Correspondent at BBC News.

Congratulations to both Hillary and Matt!