Third year IITM student, Layal Liverpool, has been awarded a prestigious BSA media fellowship, funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology. The fellowship will allow Layal to spend 2-6 weeks this summer working at a large media outlet to develop skills in science communication and journalism.

Layal will be (temporarily) leaving the lab to undertake the fellowship.

BSA Media Fellows are mentored by professional journalists and learn how the media operates and reports on science, how to communicate with the media and to engage the wider public with science through the media. Layal is yet to find out which media outlet will host her placement, however previous Fellows have worked in major organisations such as the BBC, The Guardian and Nature News.

Following their media placement, Fellows attend the British Science Festival in September, where they have the opportunity to gain valuable experience working in the BSA Press Centre alongside a range of media organisations from all over the UK.

In response to being awarded the fellowship, Layal said “I am absolutely delighted and extremely grateful for this fantastic opportunity!”.

The application process for the fellowship is extremely competitive and the IITM Programme is very proud of Layal for being selected. We hope she finds the experience fulfilling in shaping the direction of her scientific career.