Dr Holly Reeve appointed MPLS BSA Media Fellow
Dr Holly Reeve, Project Manager and Co-Investigator of the HydRegen project (Department of Chemistry), has been awarded the MPLS British Science Association Media Fellowship.
This summer Holly will be working at the Mirror for a month, seeing how the media works from the inside and contributing her ideas before heading back to Oxford to share her experiences.
Holly said of the opportunity, “I applied to the BSA Media Fellowship scheme because it offers a unique and immersive experience to work in a top media team. I love a challenge, and this opportunity will definitely challenge me to develop a new communication style at a time when communication is becoming an increasingly important skill both in and outside of academia. In the future I hope to use what I learn on my placement to help Early Career Researchers tell their stories.”
The Media Fellowships aim to give scientists, engineers and their colleagues the confidence and willingness to engage with the media and tackle issues of mistrust and misrepresentation and to give journalists access to new scientific expertise.
Every year up to ten Media Fellows are chosen through a competitive process. They are then mentored by professional journalists and learn how the media operates and reports on science, how to communicate with the media and how to engage the wider public with science through the media.
This year, MPLS funded one fellowship, offered to researchers working in EPSRC-related areas, aiming or provide a development opportunity for a researcher, as well as help improve awareness of and access to media.
This is the only programme of its type in the UK and the impacts arising for the fellows, their institution and the media are far ranging.
After the placement, Holly will attend the British Science Festival in September in the British Science Association's dedicated Press Centre, providing a further opportunity to meet and learn from a variety of media and engagement professionals.
You can find out more in this Oxford Sparks animation about Holly's research and we will be following Holly on her journey over on Twitter (@MPLSOxford).