The Poynter Institute, a global non-profit organization based in Florida, the United States, has opened applications for its “Reporting on Brain Health and Research: A Poynter Fellowship”, a new year-long fellowship designed to equip journalists with advanced skills to report accurately and responsibly on brain health, neuroscience, and scientific research.
The fellowship will bring together 30 journalists for specialised training, expert-led workshops, personalised coaching, and practical reporting projects focused on brain health and scientific research. Applications for the fellowship will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 22, 2026.
Created by the Poynter Institute and funded by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF), the fellowship is intended to strengthen journalists’ ability to understand complex scientific studies, evaluate research findings, and translate them into accurate, accessible stories for public audiences.
According to Poynter, brain health is increasingly at the centre of major public-interest stories, ranging from breakthroughs in neuroscience and psychiatry to Alzheimer’s disease, autism, mental health, and other conditions affecting the brain. However, many journalists have limited access to specialised training needed to report on scientific evidence and emerging research with sufficient depth and accuracy.
The programme will begin with a three-day opening convening from December 1 to 3, 2026, at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, where fellows will receive training on the foundations of brain health and brain science, including how to understand and evaluate scientific research, report responsibly on emerging studies, and identify meaningful story opportunities.
The opening programme will include expert-led sessions on neuroscience, psychiatry, ethics, sourcing and reporting strategies, as well as opportunities for peer feedback, collaboration, and networking.
This will be followed by monthly two-hour virtual workshops from January through November 2027, covering subjects including understanding and translating scientific research, developing trusted sources in science and medicine, reporting on autism and evolving research, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and emerging treatments and research breakthroughs.
Participants will also receive individual coaching and work with peer groups as they develop original reporting projects on brain health and research.
The fellowship will conclude with a final in-person convening in December 2027, during which fellows will present their reporting projects, reflect on their experiences and strengthen relationships with other participants and faculty.
The fellowship is being offered at no cost to selected participants. Poynter said travel, lodging, and other fellowship programme costs will be fully covered, with financial support provided by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
Fellows who complete the programme, including attendance at the required in-person and virtual activities, quarterly reporting, and a fellowship project, will receive a US$3,000 stipend.
The fellowship is open to journalists working across different platforms and at different levels of experience, including reporters covering health, science, public affairs and social issues, as well as journalists seeking to expand their work into brain health reporting.
A central objective of the fellowship is to help journalists distinguish between credible scientific evidence and claims that may be overstated, inadequately supported, or taken out of context.
Poynter said participants will learn how to evaluate and translate complex research, report on brain health with accuracy and care, interview researchers, clinicians and scientific sources, identify meaningful story angles and explain scientific findings clearly to public audiences.
The programme will also examine emerging research on neurological aspects of disabilities, including autism, as well as new data and treatments relating to brain disorders, dementia, and post-traumatic injuries.
Poynter said the fellowship is intended to help journalists develop the confidence and skills required to produce impactful reporting while avoiding common problems associated with health and science coverage, including misinterpretation of research findings and inadequate context.
The Poynter Institute, which describes itself as a global leader in journalism education and training, said the fellowship will provide participants with access to leading journalists, researchers, medical experts, and experienced coaches throughout the year.
The organisers have urged interested journalists to prepare information about their professional experience, the reporting project they wish to research, and a reference contact before beginning the application. Incomplete applications will be reviewed as submitted.
Applications must be submitted by September 22, 2026.
Interested journalists can access the official Poynter fellowship announcement and application page at https://www.poynter.org/shop/reporting-editing/reporting-on-brain-health-research-a-poynter-fellowship-2026-2027.
