The National Science Foundation has given a $250,000 grant to the University of Montana Journalism School to improve the amount of science news reaching Montana's Indian reservations as well as rural areas.

Interim Dean for the UM School of Journalism Denise Dowling says the grant will help develop a model for reporting environmental science news called Science Source, using student reporters from the UM’s graduate program in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism, as well as partner news organizations across the state.

Science Source will serve as a news desk, working with editors in radio, television, print and online to identify and produce news stories that fulfill the needs of these organizations and reach the greatest possible audience – especially audiences on Montana’s seven Indian reservations.

Stories will be written by students, and fact-checked by science and journalism professionals.

UM Interim Journalism School dean Denise Dowling

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