Eighteen Advanced Students Named 2007 AAAS Mass Media Fellows

A group of advanced science, mathematics, and engineering students is invading U.S. newsrooms this summer with one overriding objective: Break some science news.

The group of 18 graduate- and post-graduate students from a variety of scientific disciplines will be working in the newsrooms of some of the nation's most prominent news organizations as part of the AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program. The highly competitive program, now in its 34th year, has given 532 fellows the opportunity to sharpen their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to non-specialists by applying their academic training in the sciences to researching and reporting science news.

During the 10-week summer program, the fellows observe and participate in the news process, improve their communication skills by learning to describe complex technical subjects in a manner understandable to the public, and increase their understanding of editorial decision-making and the way in which information is disseminated.

"Each year, Fellows report that their newsroom experiences are invaluable in training them to become successful science communicators," said Stacey Pasco, manager of AAAS Mass Media Programs. "I look forward to watching another group of scientists complete the fellowship and go on to communicate science to the public through the media or through other avenues."

Many Mass Media Fellows have gone on to report science news for major U.S. news outlets. Among the notable alumni: Richard Harris, Joe Palca and David Kestenbaum of National Public Radio; Ken Chang of the New York Times; Steve Mirsky of Scientific American; Julianne Malveaux, whose work has appeared in USA Today and Essence magazine; and Neal Baer, executive producer of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

The following are the 2007 AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows, their educational background and their summer news assignments:

Alexander Baron—M.S. in progress; water resources management; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Orange County Register.

Sourish Basu—Ph.D. candidate; physics; Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; Scientific American.

Brandy Benedict—Ph.D. candidate; applied mathematics; North Carolina State University, Raleigh; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Haley Bridger—A.B. in progress; biology; Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine; National Public Radio.

Amber Dance—Ph.D. candidate; biology; University of California, San Diego; Los Angeles Times.

Shannon Fowler—Ph.D.; biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; National Public Radio.

Erika Gebel—Ph.D.; computational and molecular biophysics; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Philadelphia Inquirer.

Benjamin Larson—Ph.D. candidate; chemical oceanography; University of Washington, Seattle; The Oregonian.

Katherine Leitzell—Ph.D. candidate; neuroscience; University of Southern California, Los Angeles; U.S. News & World Report.

Chelsea Martinez—Ph.D. candidate; biochemistry; University of Texas at Austin; Los Angeles Times.

Amy Maxmen—Ph.D.; organismic and evolutionary biology; Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Robert Mitchum—Ph.D. candidate; neurobiology; University of Chicago, Ill.; Chicago Tribune.

Christina Pince—Ph.D. candidate; biology; University of Washington, St. Louis; KUNC-FM, Greeley, Colo.

Adriana Salerno—Ph.D. candidate; mathematics, University of Texas; Voice of America.

Jackie Scahill—B.A.; biology; Ithaca College, N.Y.; KPCC-FM, Pasadena, Cali.

Merek Siu—Ph.D. candidate; philosophy, biophysics; University of California, Berkeley; Sacramento Bee.

Alison Williams—M.S.; hydrology; University of Arizona, Tucson; Los Angeles Times.

Elsa Youngsteadt—Ph.D. candidate; entomology; North Carolina State University, Raleigh; WOSU-FM, Columbus, Ohio.

Lonnie Shekhtman

16 May 2007