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Supporting UCL academics to gain media experience

16 January 2025

With support from UCL Global Engagement, Dr Rebecca Irons gained experience in science journalism during her placement with BBC Radio Science Unit, while Dr Linzy Elton contributed to multimedia content and articles during her fellowship at SciDev.net.

2024 fellows

We are delighted to announce that UCL researchers Dr Rebecca Irons and Dr Linzy Elton have successfully completed their 2024 ABSW Media Fellowships, contributing significantly to science communication through their placements with prominent media outlets.


Dr Rebecca Irons


A Medical Anthropologist and Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at UCL, focuses on reproductive and sexual health, HIV among marginalized populations, and the impacts of climate change on health in Pacific Latin America. Rebecca relocated to Cardiff to work with the BBC Radio Science Unit in late July, she has been working on the radio programmes 'Unexpected Elements' and 'Health Check'.

Reflecting on her experience, Dr Irons said:

As researchers, we often operate in very specific niches. It’s been refreshing to break out of my academic bubble and learn how science is reported on a wider scale for a public audience. The experience has really expanded my perspective on science communication.

Dr Linzy Elton


A Postdoctoral Research Associate at UCL's Centre for Clinical Microbiology, specializes in genomics for diagnostics and antimicrobial resistance surveillance, focusing on low- and middle-income countries. Linzy has been working with the digital content teams in the UK and African offices of SciDev.net. During her placement, she contributed extensively to multimedia content, including:

Articles:

"Olympics may be transport hub for global disease spread"

YouTube Podcast Audiograms:

"Can mini grids solve Nigeria’s electricity problems?"
"Navigating climate challenges for year-round crops"
"Can drones and AI fly Africa to the next level?"
"HPV vaccine push to fight cervical cancer in Nigeria"
"Reviving use of local seeds in African farming"
"Advancing Africa’s sexual and reproductive health services"

Social Media Videos:

"How can the Nigerian government address concerns about GM crops?"
"How to address scalability challenges with hydroponic farming"
"Hydroponics and AI video"
"Indigenous knowledge - Rainfall video"
"Indigenous knowledge - Language video"
"Indigenous knowledge - Dr Manjaro quote video"
"Kenya contraception video"
"Internet of Fish video"

Reflecting on her experience, Dr Elton said:

I hope the Fellowship will allow me to gain new skills, especially the use of innovative digital solutions, as well as helping to strengthen communication and trust between scientists and the public in both the Global North and Global South.

The ABSW Media Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for scientists, clinicians, and engineers to spend two to six weeks working within media outlets such as the Guardian, BBC Radio Science Unit, or SciDev.net. These placements aim to foster better communication between the scientific community and the public.

We look forward to seeing how their experiences will enhance science communication at UCL and beyond.

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