Journalism Meets Research

New: Now also open to freelance journalists!

To create good reports about science, journalists need first-hand knowledge. Unfortunately they rarely have time to keep up with scientific developments in their everyday working lives. The program Journalisten in der Forschung (Journalism meets research) aims to give science correspondents the time they need to do so.

The program is open to print, radio and television journalists with at least three years' professional experience of writing about science. They must be either members of an editorial team or important regular freelance contributors. Successful applicants can receive support for a research or study trip or residency they have organized themselves. This firsthand experience is intended to also give them a better understanding of the methods and limits of science and bring additional specialist know-how into an editorial team so as to improve the quality of science reporting.

The length of stay is flexible. The journalists can take part in research projects, tour several research facilities, or conduct in-depth studies of the relevant literature. Study trips can last from a few weeks to three months or be split into several parts, for instance to monitor longer laboratory experiments during particularly exciting stages. The research establishments may be situated abroad or in Germany. The only condition set by the program is that participants spend their visit concentrating exclusively and working intensively on their chosen topic in the field of research or research policy.

Visits may be organized in any area of scientific research and science policy. Possible projects include:

• Following the laboratory work of a carefully chosen research group investigating biomedical issues;
• Touring agricultural research establishments in another European country;
• Intensive on-site studies at a demography institute that provides insight into current European and international demographic research;
• Internships at the European Commission in Brussels to understand the foundations of the decision making processes shaping European research and science policy.

Which forms does the support take?
In the case of full-time staff, we subsidize the cost of employing a replacement editor during the journalist's absence. Freelance journalists receive a cost-of-living allowance. We also subsidize the travel, board, and lodging expenses of participating journalists. Where justifiable, we may also pay a proportion of laboratory costs. The publishing house employing the journalist is expected to assume at least 20 percent of the overall costs to demonstrate its support for its employee's project. The program sponsors tours of up to three months.

Who and what is not eligible for support?
The program is designed to support science reporting in the media (print, radio, and television) that exclusively address very broad audiences. For this reason, employees of science and popular science publications and presenters of the correspondingly specialized broadcasting programs may not apply. Nor do we fund travel reporting.

How can I apply?
Applications must be submitted jointly by the journalist and his/her head of department or editor-in-chief. Detailed instructions for filing applications are presented at www.bosch-stiftung.de/jif/. Applications may be submitted at any time.

What are the foundation's selection criteria?
We base our decision on the following:

• The stated reasons for the applicant's interest in the relevant topic;
• Detailed information about the schedule and location of the research or study stay;
• A representative selection of no more than five samples of the applicant's work during the previous two years;
• The journalist's CV; and
• in the case of full-time employees, information about their temporary replacement and his/her qualifications.

Recognized scientists and journalists are consulted in the selection procedure.