The AAAS Science Journalism Awards have been honoring professional reporters for outstanding reporting on science, engineering, and mathematics since 1945. The honors are now known as the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards, thanks to a significant grant by The Kavli Foundation. The competition is accessible to journalists from all across the world.
About the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards
The awards are now known as the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards, thanks to a substantial gift from The Kavli Foundation in 2009 that assured the program's continuance. In 2015, Kavli quadrupled the funding, making the tournament genuinely international for the first time. Journalists working for independent news organizations worldwide are now eligible to compete in all competition categories. The winning entries are chosen by separate judging panels based on the scientific accuracy, initiative, uniqueness, clarity of interpretation, and importance in promoting more excellent public knowledge of science and its effect.
There are two awards in each category: Gold, with a $5,000 prize, and Silver, with a $3,500 prize. The awards are given out annually in February during the AAAS Annual Meeting. Entrants must attend the awards ceremony if they win unless circumstances beyond their control prevent them from doing so. Travel and housing expenses will be reimbursed as part of the prize. Only one person's travel expenses will be compensated for numerous authors or producers.
Contest Rules
The prizes are open to reporters from all over the world who work for independent news organizations. Subscriptions, newsstand sales, and online access are all options for making articles available to the general public. The applicant must offer an English translation if the nominated work was published or aired in a language other than English.
The applicant cannot enter the same story or stories in two categories, and they can't enter a story as a single entry and as part of a group of accounts.
Judges and AAAS personnel may shift entries between categories at their discretion.
Entrants can submit up to THREE submissions in total (multiple categories are allowed).
The following works are excluded from the Awards:
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Works published originally in AAAS publications or produced by AAAS.
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Works by employees of AAAS (including those on the masthead of Science magazine) or The Kavli Foundation.
Submission Procedures
If an outlet has a paywall or limited access (such as only five free stories per month), the entrant MUST submit a password for the story links or, preferably, readable PDFs of the content. If the applicant does not provide accessible content, the applicant will be disqualified.
Applicants must guarantee that Dropbox or other storage links (and their passwords) do not expire throughout the screening and judging period for all entries, including televised entries.
Print/Online Categories
There are two main branches of Science Reporting: Large and Small outlets.
Each entry in these two categories can be any of the following, as long as the overall word count does not exceed 5,000:
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one article (can be both online and print)
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up to three articles from a subject series, each clearly labeled as part of the series, in print or online. At least two of the pieces must have been published in the same year as the competition. Only three sections of a series with more than three parts should be entered for judging.
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a collection of two or three unconnected print or internet pieces.
Science Reporting – In-Depth
Each entry should exceed 5,000 words in this category and consist of any of the bullet points mentioned above.
Magazine
Each entry in these two categories can be any of the bullet points mentioned above, as long as the overall word count does not exceed 5,000.
Audio Category
Radio broadcasts or podcasts are examples of audio entries. A single story, two or three related or unrelated stories, or a thematic series can all be included in an entry.
Send a link to an MP3 version of the radio show or podcast. The MP3 file must be accessible via an active URL or an archived link during the screening and judging period.
Applicants should upload the text version of the audio transcript or provide a link to the online source of a transcript.
Note: The program recommends no more than two samples from a single participant for longer podcasts (i.e., more than 30 minutes).
Video Categories
Video Spot News/Feature Reporting: A single segment or series not to total more than 20 minutes
In-Depth Video Reporting: Programs or sections that are more than 20 minutes.
A single narrative, a thematic series (no more than three parts for judging), or three unrelated stories are acceptable entries for each video prize. Broadcast, cable, or standalone online videos are all proper entries. During the contest year, the original content must be aired.
Submit a link to the video or videos you've entered online. Submit files hosted on Dropbox, Vimeo, or YouTube for videos that aren't widely available online. Any other links that require an automatic download should be avoided. The video file must be openly accessible via an active URL or an archived link during the screening and judging period. Also, include a written version of the TV/cable broadcast transcript or an online video transcript in your submission. The applicant may also provide a link to the transcript so that the judges can view it online.
PLEASE NOTE: Videos that are part of an online text or multimedia package will be judged separately in the relevant category: Large Outlet, Small Outlet, In-Depth, or Magazine.
Children's Science News Category
The prize is open to work published in any medium, including print, radio, and the internet. It honors excellence in science reporting for youngsters, especially young teens up to 14.
Prominent newspapers, small newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and online entries will be welcomed.
Categories
Text articles
Text articles in print or online from prominent newspapers with a distribution of more than 150,000 (including digital) and digital-only publications with a state or global audience are considered science reporting – large outlets. This category includes online-only news organizations with 50 or more employees. Candidates can incorporate a thematic series or up to three related or unconnected pieces in a submission. There must be a total of 5,000 words or less.
Science reporting
Science Reporting – Small Outlet: Text articles from small newspapers with circulations of 150,000 or less (biggest single day, including digital subscriptions) and digital-only media with a local audience, published in print or online. This category includes online-only news organizations with fewer than 50 employees.
A thematic series or up to three related or unconnected pieces can be incorporated in a submission. There must be a total of 5,000 words or less.
In-Depth Science reporting
In-Depth Science Reporting: An article of more than 5,000 words for a newspaper, magazine, or website. A single-story, two or three connected, or unrelated pieces submitted as a single entry of more than 5,000 words or a themed series of 5,000 words or more are all acceptable (no more than three parts).
Stories in print magazines
Stories in print magazines, magazine websites, or digital-only publications are all examples of magazine stories. Up to three linked or unrelated articles, comprising no more than 5,000 words, may be included in one entry. Five thousand words or fewer is the limit. Newspapers' Sunday magazine sections are included.
Video and Audio
Video Spot News/Feature Reporting: 20-minute or shorter segments or programs. There are also standalone web videos. Audio formats include radio and podcasts.
News
Children's Science News: For excellence in reporting science news for children, including young teens up to 14, open to journalists working in any medium - print, broadcast, or online.
Please be kindly directed to the Frequently Asked Questions of the Awards website to find answers to any further questions. (https://sjawards.aaas.org/frequently-asked-questions)
For further information, please click the "LINK TO ORIGINAL" button below.