ABSW

bbc.co.ukAI in policing risks deepening discrimination, research warnsAI tools learn from biased records and may deepen discrimination against minorities without oversight, researchers say.

How can AI inherit human biases? Adrian Dredge, 16, from Great Western Academy explored this in his winning Young Science Writer Award 2026 essay. Today, a news article adapted from his work is live on BBC News! 🎉 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #ScienceWriting #AI

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Special thanks to Pallab Ghosh and the BBC team for their work with Adrian, to his parents and Great Western Academy for their support. @rogerhighfield.bsky.social @alexobrienuk.bsky.social #YoungScienceWriterAward #ScienceWriting #ScienceJournalism #ArtificialIntelligence

absw.org.uk2026 Young Science Writer Award winner Adrian Dredge explores the hidden biases shaping AIRead Adrian’s award-winning essay exploring how artificial intelligence can inherit human prejudices, from policing to healthcare.

Read the essay that started Adrian’s journey: “The Digital Mapmaker: Navigating the Future with the Biases of the Past”, published with minor edits on the ABSW website. www.absw.org.uk/articles/you...

bbc.co.ukAI in policing risks deepening discrimination, research warnsAI tools learn from biased records and may deepen discrimination against minorities without oversight, researchers say.

Our fifth anniversary competition began in January and attracted hundreds of entries from across the UK. From thoughtful research and difficult questions to September’s Science Museum celebration, it has been a privilege to recognise these young writers. Congratulations, Adrian!

Thank you to the O’Brien family; our partners BBC News and @sciencemuseum.org.uk; and supporters @rigb.org , DK, STAEDTLER and Raspberry Pi. Thank you, too, to every entrant, our judges, and the families and educators who encouraged young people to take part.

Fancy a no-strings-attached research trip? Step into the labs with us. A day of conversation and inspiration awaits you! Science writer and ABSW board member @evaamsen.com has worked closely with @manchester.ac.uk to create this field trip for our members. Book your space now: zurl.co/MWgt0

A day of lab visits, conversations with researchers and a chance to catch up with fellow science writers awaits you at @manchester.ac.uk on Friday 13 November. No obligation to report. Come with questions, explore subjects beyond your usual beat and see what sparks your curiosity: zurl.co/4brFq

Fancy a no-strings-attached research trip? Step into the labs with us. A day of conversation and inspiration awaits you. There’s no obligation to report on any of the projects. Book your place here👇 zurl.co/NDNJZ

Online skill-building workshop alert: Tom Whipple, science writer at The Times and host of BBC Inside Science will teach you how to write an analysis piece. Book your spot today! zurl.co/juUri Wednesday, 18 November 2026 | 10:00–13:30 | Online

#MediaFellows Shan Goh is a microbiologist at the University of Hertfordshire. She has been placed with Nature Africa. Read Shan's fist piece 👀 'Persistence, humility and HIV: life lessons from immunology' zurl.co/Xjqhe Would you like to become a Media Fellow?👉 zurl.co/DCAg7

Want to learn how to write a good analysis? We got you covered! Join us on Wednesday, 18 November 2026, 10:00–13:00 (GMT) for an online workshop led by Tom Whipple, Science Writer, The Times. Book your place today: zurl.co/NhUiK

✍️ABSW training day leads to a byline Last month student #sciencewriters interviewed researchers at @ioppublishing.bsky.social Bristol. The best article came from Marian Scaife who wrote about astrophysicist Hannah Wakeford zurl.co/plBHv @andyextance.bsky.social @drmlharris.bsky.social

#MediaFellows Miriam O'Duill is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the @uniofnottingham.bsky.social which is supporting her fellowship. 🎧 @miriamoduill.bsky.social has been placed with the #BBC Radio Science Unit. Learn more about the ABSW Media Fellowships here 👉 zurl.co/fp5v9

# MediaFellows Preetish Kakoty is a postdoc at @ucl.ac.uk. He has written on disaster risk for @theconversation.com and runs a Substack newsletter on the topic🔗zurl.co/mzCDh Placed at @physicsworld.bsky.social. Supported by @uclengineering.bsky.social 👁️Read his work zurl.co/fkXcp zurl.co/1bTdM

#MHJS2026 @andyridgway.bsky.social, ABSW Board member and Associate Professor in Science Journalism at UWE, will be speaking on the panel Reporting on the Planet and Paying the Price Andy will be discussing the findings from a joint survey ABSW and UWE ran last year #harassment #climate

Natalie Wint is an Associate Professor of Engineering for Social Change at @ucl.ac.uk. Alongside this, she is an editor and podcast host. Natalie has been placed with @theguardian.com Environment Desk. Her fellowship is supported by @uclengineering.bsky.social Find her work👉zurl.co/DN3Xd

Register for The Mental Health in Journalism Summit 🗓️ October 6-9, 2026 🎟 Tickets: zurl.co/3905a ABSW is an Outreach Partner If you are an #ABSWmember, contact us and get your promo code #MHJS26 is organised by @selfinvestigation.bsky.social and co-funded by Fred Foundation #WorldMentalHealthDay

#MediaFellows Alex Keshavarzi is a Senior Research Fellow in the High Energy Physics Group at @ucl.ac.uk and has been placed with @livescience.com Alex's fellowship is supported by @ucl-global.bsky.social Read Alex's articles 👀 zurl.co/SpTIK Want to be part of the Media Fellowship?👉zurl.co/HjZpd

21 Sept

A statement from the chair and the board of the ABSW. www.absw.org.uk/articles/sta...

rogerhighfield.substack.comIn this age of AI slop, here's what gives me hopeThis week's Young Science Writer Award offered a glimpse of something we need more than ever: people who care whether something is actually true.

21 Sept

The curiosity, judgement and distinctive voices of young people writing about science give us real hope for the future. Thank you to our Honorary President, @rogerhighfield.bsky.social for this thoughtful reflection on last week’s Young Science Writer Award ceremony and our 13 remarkable finalists

Roger Highfield@rogerhighfield.bsky.social

In this age of AI slop, here's what gives me hope. This week's @absw.bsky.social Young Science Writer Award offered a glimpse of something we need more than ever: people who care whether something is actually true rogerhighfield.substack.com/p/in-this-ag...

16 Sept

Martial artists say: no stance, no chance. Same goes for pitching. Get yours right. Learn how from the best at this workshop led by Mun Keat Looi, International News & Features Editor, The BMJ & Journalism Lecturer Imperial College London. zurl.co/Tsk1j

✨ ONE DAY TO GO ✨ Tomorrow, our 13 finalists will gather for the Young Science Writer Award Ceremony 2026. Today, the spotlight belongs to them: one winner, two runners-up and ten highly commended writers whose curiosity, rigour and creativity brought them to the final.

Tomorrow, we celebrate their ideas, their voices and everything they may write next. #YSWA2026

@alexobrienuk.bsky.social @sciencemuseum.org.uk BBC News @dkbooks.bsky.social STAEDTLER @raspberrypi.com 🌟

🌟 Highly commended Evie Howard | St Aidan’s Church of England High School. Eva O’Neill | Archbishop Blanch. James Matthew Wilson Reed | Freman College.

🌟 Highly commended Saatchi Shah | Chalfonts Community College. Tzvia Tabor | The King David High School. Blake Shotbolt Thomson | St Bartholomew’s School. Albert Watson | The Bridge Academy.

🏆 Winner Adrian Derek Dredge | Great Western Academy. 🥈 Runners-up Seren Poppy Marchant | The Charter School North Dulwich. Ralph Sealey | West Exe School.

🌟 Highly commended Yavindi Yuhansa Singappuli Arachchilage | Lliswerry High School. Madeleine Chesher | Aberdeen Grammar School. Kat Elloway | Roundhay School.

📣 So, let's meet them....

The final countdown is on ⏳ On Wednesday 16 September, @rogerhighfield.bsky.social will host #YSWA2026. Roger is Science Director at the Science Museum Group, a science journalist and broadcaster, and an ABSW Honorary President. He will guide our celebration of 13 finalists at the Smith Centre.

🏆 BBC News correspondent and science journalist @pallabg.bsky.social will present the prizes, helping us recognise our winner, two runners-up and ten highly commended writers. We are delighted that he will play such a central part in celebrating their achievements.

💡 Jeff O’Brien, who co-founded and funds the award with ABSW Chair @alexobrienuk.bsky.social, will speak about their mission to widen participation in science communication. Tomorrow: meet all 13 finalists and discover their essay titles. #YSWA2026 🌟🌟

Speaker announcement 📣 Khalil Thirlaway will join us at the Young Science Writer Award Ceremony 2026 to deliver his talk ‘The Power and Responsibility of Science Communication’.

....and co-hosted the podcasts Wild Crimes and Our Broken Planet. Always keen to find new ways to connect people with #science, he has since expanded into other fields like designing board games, appearing in TV documentaries and...

chairing the judging panel for the Wainwright Nature Writing Prize 2024 and Conservation Writing Prize 2025. Khalil will share these experiences with our 2026 winner, two runners-up, ten highly commended writers and invited guests. 📅 16 September, 1.00 pm 📍 Smith Centre, Science Museum, London

Speaker announcement 📣 Khalil Thirlaway will join us at the Young Science Writer Award Ceremony 2026 to deliver his talk ‘The Power and Responsibility of Science Communication’.

Whether through writing, events, exhibitions, podcasts, videos, game design, roleplay or standup comedy, he believes that there is wonder to be found wherever you look, if you can find the right angle. He started his career at the @sciencemuseum.org.uk, producing events....

....like coding-based cookery classes and robot football matches as well as exhibitions including Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination. Next door at the @NHM_London he wowed visitors with video games and a live tattooing demonstration, interviewed Greta Thunberg.....

Speaker announcement 📣 Khalil Thirlaway will join us at the Young Science Writer Award Ceremony 2026 to deliver his talk ‘The Power and Responsibility of Science Communication’.

Khalil is a #sciencecommunicator who uses surprise and creativity to help people connect with science in fun ways.

7 DAYS TO GO! A prize should do more than recognise what a young person has achieved. It should help them imagine what they might do next. The #YSWA2026 package combines financial awards, publication, books, technology and continued access to science.

We also thank Alex and Jeff O’Brien, founders and funders of the award. Their mission is to empower young people from underrepresented backgrounds, widen participation in science communication and help students see new possibilities. 📅 16 Sept | 📍 Smith Centre, Science Museum, London

@sciencemuseum.org.uk @rigb.org @dkbooks.bsky.social @raspberrypi.com

💻 Raspberry Pi is providing our winner with a technology bundle, encouraging coding and practical experimentation. 🔬 Young RI memberships from the Royal Institution will give our winner and runners-up continuing opportunities to encounter new ideas, attend events and engage with scientists.

🏛️ The Science Museum will welcome our finalists and guests to the beautiful Smith Centre and bring science communication to life through demonstrations. Together, the prizes offer recognition, resources, practical experience and new opportunities to learn. We are deeply grateful to every partner.

🏆 Our winner receives £1,000 to support learning or future projects, plus BBC publication, taking their work to a national audience and building their portfolio. Two runners-up receive £250 each, while 10 highly commended writers receive £100, recognising the work behind every essay.

🎨 STAEDTLER is supporting the award with #YSWA26 funding and curated gift bags, offering practical tools for researching and planning. 📚 DK is providing a specially selected book bundle for every award recipient, introducing them to different voices and ways of explaining complex ideas.

Here is how it supports our writers. 🧵