COMPASS is hosting travel fellowships for journalists [1] to attend the 21st Biennial Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals [2] in San Francisco this December!  The conference will bring together approximately 2,500 top marine mammal scientists and managers to discuss the theme of Marine Mammal Conservation in a Changing World: Bridging the Past Towards the Future. While the focus of the conference is on marine mammals, their role as heralds of changing ecosystems and casualties of the consequences of human actions will also be explored through workshops, plenaries, and presentations on topics ranging from climate and changing oceans to effective marine spatial planning. Apply by Sep 11.

Our goal with this fellowship is to support journalist participation from a broad range of backgrounds and media, freelancers to editors, print to multimedia. Our expectation is that these stories will unfold over months and years to come, not just at the conference itself. Our hope is that the relationships formed between the journalists and scientists through this fellowship will yield long-term benefits for both, as new ideas are explored and new questions are asked.

The Fellowship will cover travel, a $50 per diem, and 4 nights’ accommodation. Fellows need to arrive in San Francisco by 12:00 PM PT on Monday, December 14, 2015. COMPASS will work with fellows to make specific determinations; we require receipts for all expenses