Vanesa de la Cruz Pavas, a science communicator and environmental journalist with the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science at the Reynolds School of Journalism, has received a grant from the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) New Horizons Travel Fellowships to support her participation in the ScienceWriters2024 conference. De la Cruz is one of seven journalists selected from across the United States for this award.
The fellowship aims to enhance her engagement with cutting-edge science writing by connecting her with leaders in science communication and research. De la Cruz is expected to report on one of the sessions, and her resulting article will be published on the CASW website. The workshop she has chosen to report on is titled “Living and Working on a Hot Planet.” The subject is one de la Cruz explored in her documentary film, ‘Rising Heat: Latino Labor in Extreme United States,' which recently screened at the Cordillera International Film Festival.
ScienceWriters2024, taking place in Raleigh, N.C. Nov. 8-11, is organized by the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) and CASW. The event will feature professional development sessions, networking opportunities, science presentations, workshops, and tours designed for science writers, journalists, and scientists.
Joining de la Cruz at the conference are Jennifer Kent, the Hitchcock Project director, and three graduate students in the Reynolds School of Journalism, each interested in science communication and visual storytelling. In addition to de la Cruz’s award, Hitchcock Project Science Editor and Project Advisor Kelsey Fitzgerald was also awarded a National Association of Science Writers fellowship to attend the event virtually.