URI Metcalf Institute awards journalists environmental reporting fellowships

The Metcalf Institute Environmental Reporting Fellowships have been awarded to two journalists, Caroline Rodriguez, former editor of Ithaca Times, and Edward Ortiz, reporter for The Berkshire Eagle and correspondent for The Boston Globe, by The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting, based at the University of Rhode Island's (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography. In its second year, the fellowship supports two minority journalists to study marine and environmental science at URI and work as environmental reporters in Rhode Island news media.

Rodriguez and Ortiz will be based at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) for four weeks while studying marine and environmental science and developing story ideas in preparation for two nine-month reporting positions covering the environment for NPR-member station, WRNI and The Providence Journal, respectively. Funded by The Providence Journal Charitable Foundation and the Sharpe Family Foundation, the fellowship was created to increase the number of minority journalists, trained in science, who report on science-based news.

While conducting independent research at URI, Ortiz and Rodriguez will work with URI faculty mentors, John King, GSO professor of geological oceanography and Art Gold, URI professor of natural resources science.

The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting provides scientific training for journalists and editors, including an annual weeklong program, the Annual Workshop for Journalists. The Metcalf Institute, named for the late Providence Journal publisher, Michael P. Metcalf, is funded by the Belo Foundation, the Providence Journal Charitable Foundation, the Philip L. Graham Fund and the Telaka Foundation.

For more information about the Metcalf Institute call 874-6211 or visit http://www.gso.uri.edu/metcalf.

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