Deadline: January 31, 2019

The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT is pleased to announce that they are now accepting submissions for the 2019 Victor K. McElheny Award for local and regional science journalism. The award will recognize one outstanding work of journalism in print, digital, or broadcast.

The McElheny Award was established to honor outstanding coverage of science, public-health, technology, and environmental issues at the local or regional level. Entries may be standalone works or series, and must have been published during the 2018 calendar year. Emphasis will be put on investigative, community-service, and compelling narrative journalism that breaks new ground and makes a difference.

Prize

• One winning work will receive a $5,000 prize.

Eligibility

• Entries for the Victor K. McElheny award may be submitted by an individual or by a representative of a publication;
• An entry may consist of a single story or a series of up to three stories on a single theme;
• An individual or publication may enter no more than three separate submissions;
• Entries for the 2019 McElheny Award must:
  • Include substantial reporting on issues relating to science, public health, technology, or the environment;
  • Have been produced with significant contributions from a local or regional media outlet;
  • Have been published during the 2018 calendar year;
  • Have been published in a U.S.-based media outlet;
  • Have been published in English or — if published in a different language — accompanied by an English translation.

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be judged by a panel of distinguished science journalists. Emphasis will be put on investigative, community-service, and compelling narrative journalism that breaks new ground and makes a difference.

Application

Submissions for the Victor K. McElheny Award should be accompanied by a 300-word statement of the significance and impact of the nominated work. Entrants may upload their work using the specified file formats or provide a permanent URL.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Victor K. McElheny Award.