International programs

Science journalism is a worldwide endeavor that serves the human needs for knowledge, inspiration, and survival on an ever-changing planet often threatened by environmental hazards and infectious diseases. CASW participates in building and sustaining professional networks and educational resources to support global science journalism.

The World Federation of Science Journalists, an organization linking international, regional, and national membership associations, elected CASW as its first associate member in 2009. Since that time, CASW has supported the Federation’s activities through consultation, travel grants, and programming. In 2017, CASW and the National Association of Science Writers collaborated to organize the 10th World Conference of Science Journalists.

WCSJ2017 brought more than 1,300 delegates from 73 countries to San Francisco for the largest conference of its kind. The Fellowships Committee awarded 72 professional and 22 student fellowships to attendees from 48 countries. U.S. science writers collected $40,000 in donations to fund 11 David Perlman Travel Fellowships, honoring the veteran San Francisco-based science journalist.

Following WCSJ2017, CASW created an International Program Fund with conference proceeds to support joint efforts by CASW and NASW to extend the impact of the conference and continue to strengthen ties between U.S. science writers and journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the projects supported by the fund are the virtual Science Journalism Forum and the Spark Grant Initiative.