Metcalf Institute

06/15/2026

For our annual Leeson Lecture next week, we're taking a deep dive with Metcalf alum Rosanna Xia. When Rosanna, an environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, learned of corroded barrels discovered on the bottom of the seafloor, her investigation turned into "a cinematic exposé of an environmental disaster lurking just off the coast of Southern California."

We're screening "Out of Plain Sight" next Tuesday, and our Executive Director Fara Warner will be in conversation with Rosanna after the film. We hope to see you there!

Read up on the lecture in University of Rhode Island's online Rhody Today article:
https://ow.ly/35xB50ZbV4i

Register online:
https://ow.ly/866k50ZbV4g
June 23, 3-5 PM
Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus
The Leeson Lecture is free and open to the public
Special thanks to ecoRI News!

06/10/2026

With AWJ less than two weeks away, we’re thrilled to introduce our next two fellows: Jimmy Lovrien and Milliam Murigi! Based in Minnesota, Jimmy covers a range of environmental issues for the Duluth News Tribune. Milliam is a science journalist in Kenya whose solution-oriented stories have been featured in ScienceAfrica, Alliance for Science, and more.

Read more about the fellows on our website: https://ow.ly/Nyvn50Z9tLP

06/09/2026

We're excited to share a useful feature from Society of Environmental Journalists by our very own Ethan Brown, Metcalf's Training Program Coordinator! If you're covering El Niño this summer, this is a great resource for crafting nuanced, climate science-informed articles that best serve your community. Check it out below!

Extreme heat is making headlines—but what’s driving it?

As 2026 brings record-breaking heat waves and other extreme weather, climate attribution science can help reporters explain the roles of both El Niño and climate change. 🌡️

Journalist Ethan Brown shares reporting tips, resources, and five key questions to ask when covering the next extreme climate event.

https://www.sej.org/publications/features/how-attribution-science-can-help-reporters-heat-beat

06/04/2026

Meet Brooke Kushwaha and Alice Li! Our next two fellows both have experience covering climate and the environment. Brooke is a reporter for New Bedford Light - A community-news organization in Massachusetts, and Alice is an award-winning visual journalist.

We can’t wait to welcome all of our fellows to the University of Rhode Island later this month for the 28th Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists, which this year focuses on plastics, pollution, and PFAS.

Read more about the fellows on our website: https://ow.ly/zgI450Z6HC7

06/03/2026

📣 Apply by June 14! If you're a journalist and a member of The Uproot Project based outside of the U.S., check out the Ocean Nexus International Fellowship. Created by Ocean Nexus in collaboration with the Uproot Project, the program seeks to advance transformative changes at the intersection of ocean governance, social justice, and equity. Find the application online: https://ow.ly/Iiay50Z6L31

06/02/2026

The second year of The Open Newsroom kicked off last week, and we're thrilled to have five undergraduates from Rhode Island colleges and universities participating in the 12-week summer fellowship!

The 2026 cohort is made up of Leah Grant from Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI); Joseph Ramos, Hadassah Rigby, and Sidra Tanbakji – all University of Rhode Island students; and Ben Underwood from Brown University.

This paid fellowship supports STEAM undergraduates and is co-organized by Rhode Island EPSCoR's RI-NEST, a program funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation, and Metcalf Institute. Throughout the summer, fellows assume the roles of local journalists to report on science-related topics of their choosing for Rhode Island communities. We can't wait to read the stories they produce!

📣 If you are a Rhode Island-based reporter or editor interested in learning more about partnering with The Open Newsroom this summer, especially if you’d like to mentor a fellow, please reach out!

📰 Learn more about the fellows: https://ow.ly/ZkHH50Z6Jv7

05/28/2026

From Poland to Providence, the next two AWJ fellows we’re spotlighting come from near and far! Nikola Budzińska is a freelance journalist based in Warsaw, Poland, reporting on environmental issues, borderland ecosystems, and human rights across Central and Eastern Europe. Eric Halvarson is a multimedia journalist here in Rhode Island who currently works as the City News Reporter for The Providence Eye. We’re excited to welcome them and all of our fellows in June!

Read more about the fellows on our website: https://ow.ly/VcGt50Z4Oa7

05/27/2026

Save the date! Next up in Metcalf's Annual Lecture Series is the Leeson Lecture on Tuesday, June 23, with Rosanna Xia.

Don't miss this exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary, “Out of Plain Sight,” and a conversation with the filmmaker Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times environmental reporter and 2018 alum of our Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists. The film screening will be followed by a conversation with Rosanna and Metcalf Executive Director Fara Warner.

Learn more and register for the free lecture:
https://ow.ly/a3CF50Z4Ise
June 23, 3-5 PM
Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus
Special thanks to Ecori News!

05/20/2026

We’re only five weeks out from the Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists! In anticipation of their arrival, we’re counting down to June 21 by highlighting two fellows each week. First up: Issam Ahmed and Elena Varela Bruess!

A “Future of the Planet” correspondent for Agence France-Presse, Issam reports on climate change and environmental coverage across North America. Elena is a writer and reporter based in Houston, Texas, where she covers the environment, climate, and health.

Read more about Issam, Elena, and all the fellows on our website: https://ow.ly/hza850Z0ioE

05/18/2026

If you're interested in learning more about navigating the harms and practical uses of AI in journalism, sign up for a free training happening this Thursday: "Covering the Planet with the Tools That Tax It: AI for Climate, Science and Environmental Journalists." Presented by Metcalf Institute and Solutions Journalism Network, the virtual session is led by Yumi Wilson, a veteran journalist and San Francisco State University professor.

This training is for journalists only, on May 21, 9 AM (PT) / 12 PM (EST). Sign up online: https://ow.ly/k6V050YUAXm