AP, HHMI expand collaboration to bolster health, science coverage

The Associated Press has announced an enhanced collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education that will further expand the news agency's reporting on health and science over the next three years.

AP will continue and broaden the "Science Says" and "Genetic Frontiers" series, grow its space reporting, and introduce new coverage areas around the environment, as well as pursue data-driven projects about the environment and public health. AP retains all editorial control.

Designed to allow for deeper audience engagement and development, the multiformat health and science projects will also be used to establish best practices for science storytelling.

Funding from HHMI's Department of Science Education, the largest private, nonprofit supporter of science education in the U.S., will add additional all-formats journalists to AP's current health and science team.

"We are delighted to extend our relationship with HHMI," said Sarah Nordgren, AP deputy managing editor for health and science, sports, business news and arts and entertainment. "This collaboration will enable AP to provide audiences of all ages and geographies with a deeper understanding of how science affects their lives."

"Science will shape the world of tomorrow. So it is especially important to explain the scientific evidence that should inform our decisions, both in everyday life, and for society at large," said Sean B. Carroll, vice president of HHMI's Department of Science Education. "We are very excited to expand our collaboration with the AP, and to bring many more important stories about contemporary science to broad audiences."

AP began working with HHMI in 2017 to enhance the news cooperative's already vibrant coverage of health and science.

Initial funding allowed AP to add additional journalists to support its science reporting team, as well as increase the number of science-related stories provided to thousands of news organizations.

Among those are the "Genetic Frontiers" and "Science Says" projects, which explore genetic testing and manipulation, and scientific reasoning and research behind topics in the news, respectively.