The first morning I sat down at my new desk, a pile of researcher papers sitting ready to be devoured, the task ahead: to turn the dense, jargoned language of a scientific research paper into something simpler and more accessible to the public. Starting this job, as a science writer for the BBC, I was struck with a familiar thought, one that I had had during the first days of my PhD: why is a scientific paper so difficult to read?

Few people have the opportunity to experience both science journalism and research science first hand, except a lucky few that receive a British Association for the Advancement of Science (the BA) media fellowship, that gives practising scientists, clinicians and engineers the opportunity to work with a national press, broadcast or internet journalist for between 3 to 8 weeks for a summer. The fellowships are intended to create a greater awareness and understanding of the workings of the media among scientists.

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