Frequently asked questions
Hint: Click on a question to show the answer.
Registration for the NASW annual workshops portion of the ScienceWriters meeting is open to members and a limited number of non-members. Registration for the New Horizons portion of the meeting is open to science writers and science-writing students.
Attendance at ScienceWriters is subsidized to keep your costs low.
Attendance at the workshops is heavily subsidized by NASW and remains the same low rate as last year. Thank you for attending!
Member Rate
$180 until September 2 Get your earlybird discount!
$200 September 2 thru close of Registration on September 24.
Student Member Rate
$75 thru close of Registration on September 24.
Non-member Rate (non-refundable)
$395 thru close of Registration on September 24.
New Horizons is hosted by Knight Science Journalism at MIT
Free!
ScienceWriters2015 will be held at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge.
We have secured a discounted rate of $239/night plus tax for the Hyatt Regency Cambridge in Cambridge, MA. To get this discount and learn more, visit the the Travel page.
Most field trips will be free. Some will have a modest fee. For details visit, view the "Hosted events and tours" tab on the Schedule page.
Several types of travel fellowships are available. Successful applicants will be notified by September 15 unless otherwise noted.
Eligibility: The fellowships are intended primarily for journalists from smaller metropolitan print and broadcast news outlet, select freelancers and webcasters with a demonstrated interest in science writing.
Description: The fellowships offer up to $1,200 to cover the costs of attending ScienceWriters2015, and in particular the New Horizons in Science briefings organized by CASW on Sunday and Monday. CASW traveling fellows can choose to assist with mentoring and editing of students participating in the ComSciCon-SciWri15 workshop or to provide a written report or social-media curation on the New Horizons program.
To apply: Applications are taken online at casw.submittable.com/submit. Submit 1) a brief (no more than 500-word) expression of interest; 2) a resume; 3) no more than 3 clips or broadcast transcripts on any topic; and 4) a nominating letter from a senior editor, news director or producer. Additional details are at www.casw.org/new-horizons/travel-fellowships.
Application deadline: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Eligibility: Open to underrepresented minorities in the journalism profession especially members of the African-, Hispanic-, and Native-American communities..
Description: Provides up to $1,000 to cover the costs of attending the ScienceWriters meeting. More info at the online application site.
To apply: Complete the online application.
Application deadline: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Eligibility: Open to any science writer, editor, publication information officer, or journalism instructor with a financial need.
Description: Provides up to $1000 to cover the costs of attending the ScienceWriters meeting . These fellowships are supported by the Authors Coalition of America funds. Note: Before receiving reimbursement, fellows must submit a short report of one or more aspects of the workshops, suitable for publication on the NASW Web site and potentially in ScienceWriters. Assignments will be made prior to the meeting and must be filed within 48 hours after the assigned session. More information will be available after grants are awarded.
To apply: Send a short (less than 500 words) statement of interest (in text of email) and a copy of your CV to Tinsley Davis, director@nasw.org, with the subject line "NASWTravelGrant."
Application deadline: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Eligibility: Open to current students enrolled in a science writing program.
Description: Provides up to $1000 to cover the costs of attending the ScienceWriters meeting. These fellowships are supported by the Authors Coalition of America funds. Note: Before receiving reimbursement, fellows must submit a short report of one or more aspects of the workshops, suitable for publication on the NASW Web site and potentially in ScienceWriters. Assignments, which may include live tweeting or other coverage of a session, will be made prior to the meeting and must be filed within 48 hours after the assigned session. More information will be available after grants are awarded.
To apply: Send a short (less than 500 words) statement of interest (in text of email) and a copy of your CV to Tinsley Davis, director@nasw.org, with the subject line "GraduateTravelGrant."
Application deadline: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
NASW student members interested in volunteering can help out at the meeting for a few hours in exchange for free registration. To commit, email workshops@nasw.org. Slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and you must be an NASW student member.
The NASW portion of ScienceWriters is solely funded by the National Association of Science Writers. While a registration fee is charged to offset some of NASW's costs, that fee covers only a portion of the total NASW workshop costs. New Horizons is hosted each year by different universities, which provide funds to cover the meeting.
All registration is handled securely online. We apologize that mail or phone in registrations are not accepted. Registration begins August 5 and closes on September 24. In order that we may keep our costs low by ensuring an accurate count, NO late or on-site registrations are accepted. Register here beginning August 5.
We've set up a Facebook page to help you see who's coming and post inquiries like this. You can also tweet #sciwri15_room. This is not an official roommate matching service, but rather an informal place for you to connect with other attendees.
In order that we may keep our costs low by ensuring an accurate count, NO late or on-site registrations can be accepted. Registration begins August 5 and closes on September 24. Please avoid disappointment (and save $!) by registering early.
The NASW professional development workshops are chosen by a committee of members from proposals submitted by members in March of each year and organized by volunteers. The scientific sessions for the New Horizons in Science Briefings are chosen solely by program director Rosalind Reid. The program draws speakers from around the country, including a portion from the host institution.
Advance registration is required for the Annual Awards Reception, but there is no cost to attend the reception. Registration begins online on August 5. Join your colleagues to congratulate the winners of NASW's Science in Society Awards, CASW's Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting, and the Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award for Young Science Journalists.
For questions regarding the professional development workshops, contact workshops@nasw.org or 510-647-9500. For questions about the New Horizons in Science briefings, contact programs@casw.org or 617-702-2798.
ScienceWriters2015 officially kicks off on Friday evening, October 9, at the Knight Science Journalism welcome reception, 6:00 to 9:00 pm at MIT’s Walker Memorial. But if you arrive in Cambridge earlier on Friday, you’ll be able to choose from an exciting array of pre-conference activities including:
Friday, October 9
8:00 am – 2:30 pm: The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, with funding from the Kavli Foundation, is hosting a fast-moving mini-workshop on the latest advances in nanotechnology. Some travel support is available. For more details and application requirements visit ksj.mit.edu/workshops. Application deadline is Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015.
1:00-5:00 pm: A hands-on NASW workshop on writing nonfiction book proposals.
3:30-5:30 pm: “Dispatches from the Front Lines of Life Sciences,” a special forum organized by STAT, the Boston Globe’s new online life sciences publication, in partnership with HUBweek. Advance registration required. Details and link to registration to come.
