Six journalists have been selected for the 2026 National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships (SHERF) program.
The fellowship is a collaboration of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ), the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), offering training, mentoring and networking opportunities to early-career journalists pursuing careers in science, health or environmental reporting while they continue their work.
“We’re excited to welcome this year’s cohort to SHERF — one of the best fellowship opportunities in our field because it works at the intersection of science, health and environment,” said Kelsey Ryan, executive director of AHCJ. “These fellows bring tremendous potential to our field as early career professionals, and we’re happy to be a part of their journey.”
Supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the program offers fellows membership, registration and support to attend all three partner organizations’ national conferences, custom training and professional mentors to assist with their career development for a year.
“Knowing how coverage of science, health, and the environment intertwines, the promise for SHERF fellows is to elevate public understanding, inspiring the conversations we need in an era marked by disinformation and distrust of the news media,” said Aparna Mukherjee, executive director of SEJ. “Empowering these emerging voices is a vital component of SEJ’s future and growth. I am inspired by their commitment to exploring these critical topics, as they guide us towards the future of community-engaged and responsive journalism.”
The 2026 fellows are:
- Ethan Bakuli, independent journalist, Detroit, Mich.
- Sara Willa Ernst, health reporter, The Cancer Letter, Syosset, N.Y.
- Celeste Gracia, environment reporter, North Carolina Public Radio, WUNC, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Anika Nayak, independent journalist, Tampa, Fla.
- Adriana Pérez, environment reporter, Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Ill.
- Jillian Taylor, health reporter, StateImpact Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Okla.
“There’s never been a more challenging — or more important — time to be a journalist covering science, health, and environment,” said Meaghan Parker, executive director of CASW. “The public depends on journalists for accurate, credible, and actionable information about the world we live in. Ensuring early career journalists have the tools to build sustainable careers is critical to the long-term health of our communities and our democracy.”
The applications for the 2026 program were highly competitive. More than 35 journalists have participated in the program since 2022.
