Wanted: young journalists to write about science
The EU-funded project 'My science European program for young journalists' (My science) aims to make science and research more appealing and understandable to the general public. The initiative has focused on creating an infrastructure and methodology that can facilitate communication between scientists and young journalists and pass on maximum benefits to the wider public. The public's uncertainty about science and its benefits will be addressed by the new initiative through the development of partnerships between science laboratories and the media. The My science project has provided young journalists with the best tools for covering EU-research for the TV and press in a way that engages with the wider public. Nearly 90 budding science writers from all over the EU and Associated Countries have spent a week in a European laboratory meeting researchers and finding out what science is all about. Most importantly of all, they have learnt to communicate about the subject in an interesting and informative way. Six European research laboratories working in different scientific fields have been involved in the initiative. Young journalists between the ages of 20 and 30 were selected to participate in the workshops, which have taken place in 4 EU countries: the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and Austria. Two conferences were also organised: the first took place in Bolzano, Italy and was aimed at researchers, journalists and the media. The second conference took place in Brussels, Belgium and targeted policymakers, officials from the European Commission, European Parliament and other stakeholders interested in science and communication. My science will enable young journalists to gain a better understanding of the researchers’ world, helping them to convey to a wider audience the thrill of scientific discovery and its benefits to society.
