2008–2009 Knight Fellows

The Knight Fellowship begins its second quarter century with a class of eleven science journalists from six countries.

All are mid-career journalists who work for general interest news media to improve the public understanding of science. They will take a sabbatical year from their jobs to improve their knowledge by taking courses at MIT and Harvard, interviewing scientists and attending various seminars and lectures during the 2008–2009 academic year. They take up residence in Cambridge in August 2008.

The new Knights are:

Kimani Chege Kimani Chege is the editor of TechNews Africa, a monthly that covers science and technology, mainly in Kenya, for the business, technology and science communities. He also contributes frequently to Science Development Network, a Web-based publication focusing on technical subjects relevant to developing countries around the world. He has a diploma in journalism from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. At MIT Chege intends to study the ways that advanced technologies may affect developing countries for better or for worse.
Jonathan Fildes Jonathan Fildes covers science and technology for BBC News. Based in London, he is a multiplatform journalist, using the Web, radio and television. He has also freelanced for New Scientist. Fildes has an undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Edinburgh and a masters in science communication from Imperial College, London. Having reported from various parts of Africa and Asia, he gained an interest in the impacts of science and technology on developing countries and will focus on that during his year on campus.
Dianne Finch Dianne Finch has covered health care and science for New Hampshire Public Radio, based in Concord, N.H. She came late to science journalism, having worked initially in software and market research in the U.S. and Japan. Eight years ago the AP hired her to analyze demographic data for newsworthy trends, thus bringing her to journalism. To her earlier undergraduate degree in economics from UMass Boston, she added a masters in journalism from Columbia. Her goal during the fellowship year is to study neuroscience and the genetics of “personalized medicine.”
Teresa Firmino Teresa Firmino has covered science and technology for Portugal’s leading quality newspaper, Público, for more than 15 years, after a brief start on the paper’s society desk in 1992. Based in Lisbon, she has covered a broad range of science stories such as dinosaurs, stem cells, space exploration and forensic research. Firmino has a degree in mass media communication from the New University of Lisbon. While on campus she plans to sample a wide variety of sciences.
Sascha Karberg Sascha Karberg is a freelance who writes about the life sciences for major German newspapers and magazines. He pursued a Ph.D. in developmental genetics at the Free University of Berlin for three years before switching to science journalism. In addition to print publications, Karberg has worked in radio and online news outlets. During his year in Cambridge, he plans to study more genetics and cell biology and to learn about the drug industry and its effects on the course of science and society.
Alexander Otto Alexander Otto began his career with a journalism degree from Syracuse University but then trained as a physician assistant at George Washington University before returning to journalism as a medical reporter. While working for a pharmacists’ magazine, Otto became “alarmed” by drug industry practices and began freelancing investigative pieces to The Washington Post and other outlets. Most recently he has been a staff medical reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune. As a Knight he plans to study genetics and medical policy and regulation.
Marcin Rotkiewicz Marcin Rotkiewicz covers science for Polityka, the most influential newsweekly in Poland. Based in Warsaw, he covers a wide range of scientific fields. Rotkiewicz earned a masters degree in journalism from the University of Warsaw but also pursued a course of study in philosophy. He caused a sensation in Poland in 2001 with a report showing that the Chernobyl nuclear accident had failed to cause the increased rates of cancer or environmental damage that once were predicted. At MIT he plans to study nuclear energy and biotechnology.
Sabin Russell Sabin Russell is a medical writer at The San Francisco Chronicle where he has worked since 1986. He came to medical writing from business journalism, including covering the semiconductor and early biotechnology industries in the 1980s. In 2001 Russell won the Science in Society Award from the National Association of Science Writers. He holds a bachelors degree in English from Yale. While on campus Russell plans to study rapid genetic screening technologies and genome-wide association studies to identify common genetic factors that influence health.
Sharon Weinberger Sharon Weinberger specializes in military science and technology, including related national security policy. Currently a freelance reporter and a contributor to Wired’s national security blog, Danger Room, her writing has also appeared in Nature, Discover, Slate, and The Washington Post Magazine. Weinberger is the author of the book Imaginary Weapons: A Journey Through the Pentagon’s Scientific Underworld. She earned a degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins and a masters from Yale. During her Knight year, Weinberger wants to learn more about science policy beyond national security and about science in general.
Karen Weintraub Karen Weintraub is the deputy health and science editor of The Boston Globe, managing three reporters and overseeing the weekly section. She has been at The Globe since 2001, serving in the early years as Boston city hall editor and obituary editor. Weintraub has worked in daily journalism since 1989. She has an undergraduate degree in urban studies and art history from the University of Pennsylvania and a masters in political science from the University of Houston. As a Fellow, she plans to study evolution, new media technologies, epidemiology and statistics.
Rachel Zimmerman Rachel Zimmerman covers health and medicine for The Wall Street Journal, where she has worked since 1998. She has focused on women’s and children’s health and on access to health care by the poor. Zimmerman has an undergraduate degree in English from Sarah Lawrence and a masters in journalism from Columbia. She has won several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. At MIT Zimmerman is planning to study the neurobiology of pregnancy and childbirth as well as fetal, or developmental, programming.

           

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