Deadline: 5-Jul-23
Apply now for the Media Fellowship Program which provides journalists an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the complex, intertwined network of factors that affect health and well-being and the inadequacy of a health framework that focuses on disease.
Media Fellows can play an important role in translating research findings and analyses for a range of audiences, combining data with stories that inform the public and engage policymakers in order to change attitudes.
The Nova Media Fellowship supports print, broadcast, and digital journalists proposing to immerse themselves in the health field and complete media projects for publication/dissemination that acknowledge and explore the many factors that promote well-being, prevent disease, contribute to healing, and increase an individual’s ability to flourish and live a fulfilling life. At this time, the Media Fellowship is not inviting book proposals.
The Media Fellowship program aims to give recipients the time, space, and resources to research, write, and speak about issues that validate and show the importance of an expansive health framework. Media Fellowships are one year in duration and full-time, allowing recipients to undertake their projects in a comprehensive and creative manner. The Nova Institute strongly prefers that Media Fellows take a leave of absence from any organization where they are currently employed during the fellowship period. Projects begin in fall 2023, no later than December 1; the exact start date is flexible to accommodate individual Fellows.
Media Fellows have absolute editorial control over their projects. They agree to include a collaboration credit in each published or broadcast piece developed during the Fellowship, noting that they are or were Media Fellows of the Nova Institute for Health.
Project Focus
- At the Nova Institute, they work to change how people think about health, moving away from a narrow focus on disease to an integrated perspective that examines the connections among individual, community, and planetary health. A singular focus on disease, long the dominant health paradigm, fails to recognize the complex network of factors (e.g., genetic, environmental, behavioral, social, economic, spiritual, and psychological), that determines the health and well-being of individuals and communities. And it pays scant attention to the potential of individuals—and the communities and planet in which they live—to thrive.
- In contrast, a broad focus on health welcomes an exploration and understanding of the connections among the myriad factors that enhance or diminish an individual’s total lived experience. Better knowledge about these factors would help public systems and private institutions improve their priorities, policies, and practices and help individuals to change their behavior and lifestyle.
- Applicants for the Media Fellowship have considerable latitude in determining the specific focus of their proposed projects. All proposals, however, should show an appreciation for the multitude of factors, at many levels, that affect health and thriving, and resist reductionist approaches. The Nova Institute will consider proposals that relate to one or more of these goals:
- Increase knowledge of the complex network of factors that prevent illness, contribute to healing, and enable individuals to thrive in healthy communities and on a healthy planet
- Move from a health paradigm focused on disease to a health paradigm that focuses on flourishing and well-being, examining an individual’s total lived experience
- Persuade key individuals—from clinicians and nonprofit and business leaders to policymakers—to recognize the multiple factors that affect health and to adopt practices and policies that respond to those factors
- Health Inequities
- The COVID-19 pandemic made clear the adverse impact of long-standing inadequate and harmful social, economic, and environmental conditions on individuals’ health and the inequities that result. The Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements have shined a bright light on systemic racism and the discriminatory policies and practices that cause many of these conditions. Many underserved communities face significant barriers to getting fresh, nutritious, and plentiful food. And the climate crisis and environmental degradation has a disproportionate impact on low-income communities. The Nova Institute welcomes projects that recognize and/or examine the political, historical, and social dynamics that have led to the health inequities experienced by the BIPOC community and people who are medically underserved.
- Transdisciplinary and Inter-Sectoral Approach
- To understand the many factors that affect health and well-being, and the intertwined connections among them, they champion a transdisciplinary approach and encourage projects that will tap the expertise of multiple disciplines. Given the relationship between good or harmful policies and practices and an individual’s ability to thrive, compelling projects may also explore the current or potential role of various sectors—e.g., public, business, medical, and education sectors—in advancing or undercutting health.
Benefits
- The award for a Media Fellowship is $105,000 over 12 months and is all-inclusive. The award is intended to support a fellow’s living expenses, project-related expenses, travel, conference fees, health insurance, etc. They will, however, cover any costs associated with attending Nova Institute-organized meetings, workshops, or events. The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions.
Eligibility Criteria
- Experience
- Ideal applicants are full-time journalists with established records of publication or broadcast in local, regional, or national markets or among targeted audiences or constituencies and have relevant full-time experience. For this inaugural year of the Media Fellowship program, they are accepting applications from U.S. based journalists only.
- Society and the medical community has for far too long ignored systemic racism, economic injustice, and other factors that affect health and hurt marginalized groups. They believe that these voices must be heard and should be involved in their work, and they strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, or other members of other historically marginalized communities.
- Time Commitment
- Fellowships begin in Fall 2023 (ideally by December 1; the start date is flexible), and last for a period of 12 months. A Media Fellow must be able to devote at least 35 hours per week to the proposed project, and the project should be the Fellow’s only full-time work during the fellowship term. They will hold quarterly check-ins with Media Fellows and expect Media Fellows to attend annual meetings, including one scheduled for Fall 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland, and participate in monthly online meetings convened by the Nova Institute for the Scholars and Fellows network as well approximately 2-3 other Nova events such as their “Nova Campfires” and annual conference, which are typically held virtually.
- Project Deliverables
- They recognize the value of flexible support, designed to encourage unbounded curiosity and to allow Media Fellows to follow leads suggested by their research and reflection. Nevertheless, applicants must propose deliverables or products that reflect a year’s worth of full-time, ambitious work. In all cases, deliverables must aim to reach the targeted audiences via publication and dissemination during the term of the fellowship. They will not support projects that involve only research that simply lays the groundwork for future use.
For more information, visit Media Fellowship Program.