Metcalf Institute’s signature journalism workshop will focus this year on plastics, pollution, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

This immersive workshop will explore how plastics are produced, used, and discarded—and how their breakdown contributes to widespread environmental contamination. Participants will examine the pathways through which plastic pollution enters ecosystems, impacts wildlife and human health, and persists across generations. A special emphasis will be placed on PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” to understand their chemical properties, where they are found, why they persist in the environment, and the growing concerns around their health effects.

When: June 21-26, 2026 at the University of Rhode Island

Open to full-time professional journalists, including independent journalists, working in any medium looking to learn more about research and topics relating to climate change science, impacts, adaptation, and justice.

Deadline: Feb. 16, 2026

More information [1].

Metcalf Institute strives to create a diverse and inclusive Fellowship cohort and we strongly encourage journalists from underrepresented backgrounds and those covering communities most affected by climate change to apply.