New York, NY, September 7, 2023— Rita Allen Foundation and Science Friday Initiative are pleased to announce a new partnership.
From the coronavirus pandemic to the American reproductive health landscape to the ongoing effects of climate change and the push towards green energy, science and public policy issues are increasingly converging in national discourse. Thanks to a grant from the Rita Allen Foundation, Science Friday will be able to increase public access to science policy reporting that draws out the implications of local events to the national context to help keep voters informed and updated on how science policies may affect them, their communities, and their families.
“By increasing national reporting of science, environmental, and health-based policy issues, and distributing those stories to our weekly audience of 2 million, we will boost the visibility of fact-based science in the public policy space,” said John Dankosky, Science Friday’s Director of News and Audio.
Science Friday is a trusted and award-winning leader in public learning and engagement with science with a mission to increase access to science and scientific information. Science Friday has over 32 years of experience in creating factual, accessible, and engaging journalism around scientific news and breakthroughs, and are well-positioned to demystify science policy for the public.
Elizabeth Good Christopherson, President & CEO of the Rita Allen Foundation remarked, “For over thirty years, Ira Flatow and Science Friday have been a trusted source to understand science—its wonder and relevance to our lives. With the Rita Allen Foundation’s support, Science Friday will increase reporting bridging science, local context and policy—a civic science journalism initiative, ever more critical in our current environment.”
Science Friday will work with its network of nearly 500 local radio stations to ensure they are reaching localities dealing with these policy issues. Listen for this coverage on Science Friday on your public radio station, sciencefriday.com, or wherever you get your podcasts.
“We believe as the founding fathers of our country did that science and science education are the foundation, the pillars of democracy. This is as true today as it was in Ben Franklin’s time,” said Ira Flatow, Founder and Host of Science Friday.
About the Rita Allen Foundation
The Rita Allen Foundation invests in discoveries in their earliest stages in biomedical research, civic science, and philanthropic practice. Through its work in civic science, the Foundation seeds networks to accelerate learning, inclusion, and impact to ensure that science and evidence help to inform solutions to society’s most pressing problems.
About Science Friday
Science Friday’s mission is to increase public access to science and scientific information. They strive to deliver enjoyable, understandable science to people and communities across the country. Founded by Ira Flatow, Science Friday was first broadcast in 1991 as a caller-driven public radio talk show focused on science and connecting the public with scientific experts. Since then, they’ve expanded their offerings into podcasts, digital and social media, education,
live events, and community programming, all in service of their mission.