Science Journalist Intern

Science Journalist Intern

Summary: The student will assist in writing science and creative news stories for Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI). The student will also support publications of biannual NQPI newsletters. NQPI is the largest multidisciplinary institute of Ohio University involving over 30 faculty from 9 departments spanning 3 colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, Russ College of Engineering and Technology and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. The mission of the NQPI is to advance cross-disciplinary research, educational, and technological innovation efforts in active areas of materials science and engineering by promoting nanoscience techniques, theory, and infrastructure. NQPI is composed of faculty members having expertise in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and other relevant fields engaged in research ranging from organic materials to semiconductors and spanning the macroscopic to nanoscale and quantum regimes. The task of this PACE study student is critical to support public education and dissemination of research activities of NQPI. Since the audience is not only local but also international and includes government and industrial funding entities, the training and experience gained in this position will enable a future career in international science journalism.

Position Description. The student will write short news stories of creative research activities, research discoveries, and public outreach news of NQPI in a timely manner, which will be posted in the institute website (https://www.ohio.edu/cas/nqpi). The student will also be responsible for designing and creating biannual NQPI newsletters (both online and printed form), which will be distributed worldwide to international higher education institutions. For writing news stories, the student may be required to interview the research team members (faculty, postdocs, and students) of NQPI. The student is expected to work 12 hr per week with a workload of 60% for story writing, 15% for interviews, 15 % for newsletters and 10% for planning meetings with NQPI supervisors. The NQPI office is located on the 1st floor of the newly reconstructed wing of Clippinger Research Laboratories.

Benefits of the Position. The student will gain experience in scientific journalism representing the largest multidisciplinary institute of OU. Since the information provided here is not only local but also international and includes government and industrial funding entities, the training and experience gained in this position will be beneficial for the student’s future.

Qualifications. Students interested in scientific storytelling and journalistic activities in the highly diverse group of faculty researchers within NQPI are encouraged to apply.

Mentoring. The student activities will be supervised by NQPI administrative specialist Elizabeth Stinaff and the NQPI director, Prof. Saw Wai Hla, in addition to a faculty from the Scripps School of Journalism. For the selection of popular scientific topics worthy of news, the student will be trained by Prof. Hla based on emerging research discoveries and achievements within NQPI. The evaluation of the student’s work will be based upon the quantity and quality of scientific stories published in the NQPI biannual newsletters and the NQPI web site.