UBC Journalism

Congratulations to our very own Professor Alfred Hermida on being named a global finalist for the Study UK - British Council Alumni Awards 2026 in the Business & Innovation category. 🎓

Presented by the British Council, the award recognizes global alumni who are leading innovative solutions with lasting impact. Prof Hermida's recognition highlights his pioneering work in digital journalism, evidence-based news platforms, and his contributions to scholarship that shape how news is produced and understood worldwide. 👏

More about the award and fellow finalists here:
https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/after-your-studies/alumni-awards/winners-finalists/2026/business-innovation

Business and Innovation Award 2026 | Study UK Alumni who are active in initiating and contributing to innovative or creative new ideas, solutions or business opportunities that have the potential for growth. These finalists represent seven regions worldwide, showcasing the breadth of innovation and entrepreneurial talent among UK alumni around....

The UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media (JWAM) is seeking a passionate and experienced scholar or journalist for a full-time, tenure-stream Assistant Professor position in International Reporting! 🌍✍️

The successful candidate will also be expected to qualify for the prestigious endowment-funded Gary Coull Professorship in International Reporting.

To complement our current strengths, we are particularly looking for someone with expertise in covering and analyzing global issues, with experience in emerging fields like mobile, data, or visual journalism. 📱📊

You will also have the opportunity to engage with the award-winning Global Reporting Centre based at the school.

Whether you are an academic with a PhD (or near completion) or a professional journalist with a Master's degree and substantial newsroom experience, we would love to hear from you.

📅 Deadline to apply: August 15, 2026
📍 Location: UBC Vancouver Campus

Learn more about the role, qualifications, and how to apply.

https://jwam.ubc.ca/job-opportunities/jwam-gary-coull-professorship-asst-prof/

Congratulations to UBC Journalism professor Alfred Hermida and his co-authors on their award for Top Faculty Paper from the Science Communication Interest Group at the International Communication Association annual conference in Cape Town.

The honour was for the paper, Holding science to account: A qualitative study of practices and challenges of watchdog science journalism, by Alice Fleerackers, An Nguyen, Alfred Hermida and Ivan Oransky.

The study shows that watchdog journalism is crucial for exposing scientific fraud. But resource-starved newsrooms face massive hurdles, such as legal risks, uncooperative sources, and click-metric pressures, that often force them to prioritize a story's feasibility over its public importance.

The research was led by Fleerackers who started working on the project when she was an SSHRC Post-Doctoral Fellow at UBC Journalism. Two Master of Journalism students worked as graduate research assistants on the project, Kristen De Jager and Arijit Joshi.

The paper is forthcoming in the journal Science Communication and will be open access.

Family and friends celebrated alongside faculty and staff on May 20 as 26 members of the class of 2026 received their Master of Journalism degrees from the University of British Columbia.

The School of Journalism, Writing, and Media marked the milestone by recognizing the graduates’ achievements, from rigorous coursework to ambitious reporting and storytelling.

The ceremony honoured students whose work and contributions stood out during their time at UBC. The awards and recipients are pictured in the slides that follow. For full details please visit the link in our bio.

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All 📸 by and Camelia Lalani

Hal Straight Gold Medal and Prize in Journalism

Recipient: Ashley Kim

Pictured L to R: Beverley Straight, Ashely Kim

Susan M. Boyce Graduate Scholarship

Recipients: Victoria Brzezinski-Szadzianis, Anjini Snape

Pictured L to R: Anjini Snape, Victoria Brzezinski-Szadzianis, Kamal Al-Solaylee

Master of Journalism Award

Recipients: Kristen De Jager, Ashley Kim, Iris Wang, Helen Wu, Elif Zaimler

Pictured L to R: Kristen De Jager, Ashley Kim, Elif Zaimler and Mary Lynn Young

The Rafe Mair Prize in Journalism
Recipient: Henna Mann

Pictured L to R: Henna Mann and Brayden Mack

The Helen Badenoch Scholarship
Recipient: Beta Chan

Pictured L to R: Beta Chan and Ori Tenenboim

George Sakellaridis Memorial Scholarship in Journalism
Recipient: Alisa Prinyarux

Pictured L to R: Alisa Prinyarux and Andrea Crossan

Brian Truscott Memorial Award in Business Journalism
Recipient: Xiao Qing Wan

Pictured L to R: Kathryn Gretsinger and Xiao Qing Wan

Vancouver Sun David Baines Scholarship in Journalism
Recipient: Riley Brady

Pictured L to R: Riley Brady and Alfred Hermida

Dona Logan Scholarship
Recipient: Isabelle Dina
Pictured L to R: Isabelle Dina and Alfred Hermida

jschoolgrad

Last month, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Kirby Jessie Manià - beloved educator, scholar, writer, mentor, and community-builder in the UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media and the Coordinated Arts Program.
 
The BC, Musqueam and UBC flags (temporarily relocated to the East Mall Entrance and Plaza at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre) will be lowered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in remembrance.
 
Please visit the link in our bio called “In Memoriam: Kirby Manià”.

Join us in congratulating the 26 Master of Journalism students who graduated on May 20 2026.

UBC Journalism honours 26 grads of class of '26 - School of Journalism, Writing, and Media Congratulations to the 26 graduates who received their Master of Journalism degrees from the University of British Columbia.

Congratulations to the UBC Journalism students nominated for three RTDNA Canada West awards.

The nominations are for projects developed during our visual journalism courses taught by Alfred Hermida and Uytae Lee.

UBC Journalism among 2026 RTDNA Canada West finalists - School of Journalism, Writing, and Media UBC Journalism has secured two prestigious wins at the 2025 Radio Television Digital News Association Canada regional awards.

Join UBC as our 2026-2027 Asper Visiting Professor.

The School of Journalism, Writing, and Media (JWAM) at the University of British Columbia is now seeking applicants for the Asper Visiting Professor position for the 2026-2027 academic year.

We are looking for an experienced journalist or academic to join our faculty in Vancouver. This is a unique opportunity to mentor the next generation of storytellers at a world-class institution.

The role:
✅ Teach graduate-level courses in your area of expertise.
✅ Lead workshops or public talks on contemporary journalism practice.
✅ Engage with a diverse community of high-calibre students and researchers.

We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in digital journalism, media innovation, or entrepreneurship. Ideal candidates will have a proven record of editorial leadership and a passion for navigating the evolving media landscape.

📅 Application Deadline: April 28, 2026 📍 Location: Vancouver, BC (UBC Point Grey Campus)

Help shape the future of journalism.

Asper Visiting Professor (2026-2027) - School of Journalism, Writing, and Media The UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media is accepting applicants for the position of Asper Visiting Professor for 2026-2027 to join its high-calibre journalism faculty and students. The School is a recognized leader in journalism education, research and practice. It currently offers a Master...

We are proud to announce that the UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media is co-hosting The Future of Journalism Summit on May 13. 📝

In partnership with the Global Journalism Innovation Lab and the Canadian Journalism Foundation, this summit brings together leading journalists, scholars, and media innovators to tackle the most critical challenges facing our industry today.

From the impact of AI on newsrooms to the rise of digital-first creators and the search for sustainable business models, we’ll explore what’s next in the world of reporting and storytelling.

Join us for a day of discussion for students, professionals, and anyone invested in the future of a healthy, informed public.

📅 Date: Monday, May 13
🕙 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. PT
📍 Location: In-person in Vancouver

Check out the full program and secure your spot in the link below. See you there!

The Future of Journalism Summit – Canadian Journalism Foundation Presented by Global Journalism Innovation Lab, the UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media and Canadian Journalism Foundation

🌊 From Singapore to the world: How port cities shape our global identity.

Take a listen to a fascinating new episode of CBC’s Ideas, hosted by JWAM director Kamal Al-Solaylee! 🎙️

In this episode, Kamal takes us on a deep dive into the evolution of port cities, specifically focusing on Singapore, to explore how these bustling hubs of trade and migration have fundamentally transformed culture, economy, and the way we connect across borders.

Give it a listen here

www.cbc.ca