1st Kavli Symposium on Science Journalism

Kavli Symposium on the Future of Science Journalism
(World Federation of Science Journalists/The Kavli Foundation)

17-19 February 2014, The Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook, IL

The Kavli Symposium on the Future of Science Journalism brought together an international group of leading science journalists and specialists to explore the future of science journalism. The organizing committee identified the following topics to launch this dialogue, which took place collectively and in breakout sessions that encouraged the free exchange of new thinking, ideas and possible collaborations. (Limited in size, this symposium was closed to invited participants.)

Defining Science Journalism

It is becoming increasingly important for science journalism to better define and distinguish itself in the midst of a growing array of information sources. This is also a growing need with the increase in direct science communication from scientists and scientific institutions, as well as industry and other sources, which may not employ the standards of the field or serve conflicting interests. The symposium will focus on this issue, as well as how science journalism itself may be impacted by efforts to provide centralized sources of scientific information, such as the national ‘science media centers’ either established or being developed in several countries. Among the questions: How does science journalism more effectively distinguish itself from other sources of information? What role, if any, should science journalists have with these national science media centers?

International Collaboration in Science Journalism

There are areas of the world where coverage of science issues is more difficult, yet coverage is critical not only locally but to the international community. Looking forward, science journalism needs to consider how it can more effectively cover some of the key issues in the field, such as clinical trials that have moved to developing countries. It should also consider how it can collaboratively cover these issues, as well as discern ways that established science journalists and media can collectively improve their support of local science journalism in developing nations. Among the questions: When it comes to covering issues and supporting the development of the field, what are the areas where collaboration can supersede competition?

Supporting Science Journalism

There are new, innovate practices and media business models available to science journalism, but there remains a need to discuss how science journalism can benefit from these practices. Science journalism needs to identify the innovative practices and business models that can strengthen the field, as well as the ways to support their use and development for common benefit? It must also consider what tools exist or should be developed to help the field? For example, are there new ways for science journalists to mine and process the increasing amounts of data being accumulated on individuals and societies? How can new technologies and software be integrated in the tool kit of science journalists? Science journalism must also consider how new, alternative sources of funding such as crowd-funding might impact the field.

Topics for this symposium were chosen by the organizing committee under the supervision of the World Federation of Science Journalists.

Organizing Committee