The Civic Science Media Lab in the SRC Awarded its 1st Civic Science Journalism Research Grant from the Berlin Science Festival

The Civic Science Media Lab (M-Lab) was recently granted a competitive journalism research grant sponsored by the 2023 Berlin Science Festival, marking a significant milestone as the lab’s first grant fully dedicated to supporting a civic science journalism project. The award underscores the critical need for exploring, through civic science journalism, the dynamic interplay between scientific endeavors and local communities, fostering a culture of dialogue, mutual learning, and shared understanding. 

Chosen for its innovative approach to civic science journalism, former Special Correspondent Victoria Gonzalez from the M-Lab led the production of 4 investigative journalism videos that delve into the scholarship and practice of civic science being showcased at the Berlin Science Week. These videos that aired here on the lab’s flagship project called the Civic Science Television Network (CivicSciTV), provided a rich ‘dataset’ of timely insights that are accessible and actionable by various stakeholders. Through the lens of civic science journalism, the network explores current affairs in civic science that include activities from conceptual stages to local community impacts, co-creation projects between scientists and local communities, and the integration of science with policy-making processes just to name a few.

The award of this grant signals the increasing recognition of the essential role that civic science journalism plays in shedding light on and critically assessing the interconnected relationships between the scientific community and society at large. By actively engaging with a diverse range of voices including community members, leaders, researchers, and policymakers, the Civic Science Media Lab’s work through civic science journalism not only fosters well-informed leaders but also champions the cause of local communities.

The project was formally completed in November 2023. 

Learn more about the Civic Science Media Lab here. 

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The photo copyright is held by the Falling Walls Foundation.