Science journalists ‘inspired’ by the future of the field at biennial ABSW conference

This year’s UK Conference for Science Journalists (UKCSJ) welcomed nearly 200 delegates at The Francis Crick Institute, London, on Tuesday, October 15.

“This inspiring and informative event really helped me get a handle on some of the trends and headwinds in the industry. As a bonus, I got to meet a bunch of science journalist colleagues I'd previously only interacted with online or via reading their work,” – Margaret Harris, online editor at Physics World.

The 2024 edition had its eyes on the future, be it for print and online or TV, radio, and podcasts. Some of the topics discussed included reconstructing the media industry, adapting to changes, and learning from other media or countries. Editors said they are still looking for the same skills in journalists as they were before, but authenticity was highlighted as an important way to thrive.

Among the 11 sessions happening during the conference day, two were dedicated to artificial intelligence, but the issue was ever-present in almost every session. One thing became clear: no matter how much AI can do, humans will always be needed. The message? AI can only look at what has been done before while humans can anticipate the future and report on innovation.

“Inspiring. It has given me renewed passion to take my writing to a new level and fired up my enthusiasm for what I do,” – Caroline Wood, freelance science writer.

Diversity Scholarships were granted to people from minority groups or deprived regions in the UK. Elfredah Kevin, founder and managing director of The Colonist Report and The Colonist Report Africa, was one of the grantees. 

“It was truly impactful… The conference is important to the work we do @ColonistReport & @TCRAfrica,” she wrote on X (former Twitter).

The ABSW thanks the volunteers helping in the sessions and at the registration desk – Jana Bazeed, Chau-Jean Lin, Benjamin Plackett, and Rei Takver – and the members who helped develop the programme Deborah Cohen, Andy Extance, Marianne Guenot, Aisling Irwin, Alex O'Brien, Andy Ridgway, Sallie Robins, and Angela Saini.

“Attending UKCSJ24 as a volunteer was a valuable learning experience. As a student journalist, it was a great opportunity to gain insightful advice from experts in the field, and expand my network,” – Jana Bazeed.

ABSW also thanks its partners and sponsors: EurekAlert! (ABSW's Lead Professional Development Partner), UK Research and Innovation, LifeArc, and Yakult. 

“EurekAlert's mission is to make science news more accessible and help people make informed choices. We understand it can’t be done without science journalists,” says Ashley Phan, Membership & Managing Manager at Eurekalert!.