Science, Health and Environmental Journalism at Mizzou: Recent Episodes
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By Caspar Dowdy
When I first applied for a spot on SHE-J’s AAAS trip, I mostly expected to spend my time on the sidelines. As a freshman with a short resume and a pretty last-minute registration, I was prepared to go through the weekend trailing quietly behind the more experienced members of the club.
But, as I’ve found to be the case throughout my first year with SHE-J, there is no such thing as “too early” to start getting experience. During the conference — which was held in Denver, Colorado from Feb. 15-17 — I was able to attend panels about developing science (one of my favorites being a discussion on fossil conservation that handed out toy dinosaurs), hear talks from publications I’m interested in and network with science communicators from around the world.
Of the communication-focused events I attended, I found the Kavli Science Journalism Awards ceremony to be one of the most impactful. Seeing just how different the approaches to science journalism can be in different countries and outlets — from podcasts to short films, multimedia and science communication geared toward kids — broadened my horizons and introduced me to new mediums I’d love to try both during my time at the journalism school and after I graduate.
I was also able to check out a panel from PBS Digital Studios focused on inclusivity in science communication on social media. In their discussion of audience demographics and intentional efforts to attract underrepresented groups to their work, I was able to see how industry professionals build connections between the topics they cover and the public for which they cover them, as well as how that space is evolving over time.
One thing that struck me as I introduced myself to science journalists I hope to one day join the ranks of was just how inviting everyone was. All of them seemed so eager to share advice, offer encouragement or just nerd out about the cool science happening around us. I’m incredibly grateful to all of the people who made attending AAAS such a great experience — and to SHE-J for providing me with the opportunity to learn and grow and network — and can’t wait to see what future AAAS conferences have in store.
The spring 2024 Smith/Patterson Lecture will feature Maria Parazo Rose, a spatial data analyst at Grist who reports on and makes maps about Indigenous affairs, conservation and climate migration. Maria will speak about “Misplaced Trust,” an investigation into how 14 public universities built on stolen Indigenous land are still profiting from land trusts, which are often used for oil and gas production, mining and grazing. This project builds on the groundbreaking “Land Grab Universities,” a project examining how land grabs capitalized and transformed the U.S. university system.
The talk will take place in the Smith Forum at the Reynolds Journalism Institute on April 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Pizza will be served beginning at 5:30.
Welcome to the spring semester! We hope everything is off to a great start.
As you get into your new routine for the next few months, mark your calendars for our upcoming meetings, starting with our first meeting of the semester on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. Join us in RJI Room 200B (Spencer) to eat pizza, learn more about SHEJ, hear about some exciting opportunities, and participate in a fun science project!
We’d also like to remind you of some upcoming opportunities:
- Today (2/5) is the LAST DAY to pre-register for the National Association of Science Writers Internship Fair! The event is virtual and will be held Monday, Feb. 12 from 12 – 4 p.m. CST. Register here before 10:59 p.m. CST TONIGHT: https://www.nasw.org/article/nasw-science-writers-education-committee-virtual-internship-fair-february-2024
- The Missouri School of Journalism and the Pulitzer Center are providing a $5,000 grant for a student to cover a domestic or global under-reported science, health or environmental issue. Applications are due in March. You can download the application form at https://bit.ly/MUPulitzerapp2024. Please also see the FAQ at bit.ly/MUPulitzerFAQ.
- We’re anticipating buying a block of student tickets to attend a True/False film sometime during the weekend of February 29 – March 2. Keep an eye on our newsletters and GroupMe for more information.
We can’t wait to see you this Thursday!
Best,
SHEJ Executive Team
MU science writers, be sure to submit your application to attend AAAS this spring!
We have funding to assist one more student with travel expenses to AAAS. If you’re interested in applying for these funds, and traveling with SHEJ, please consider the following:
- You must be a member of SHEJ and NASW to attend. NASW membership is required for the mentorship program and the internship fair. We can help you with applying!
- You must be willing to produce content in the form of reported blog posts, freelance pitches/pieces or another medium while at the meeting.
- You must be willing to share about your experience at AAAS with other SHEJ members at a future organization meeting.
- You must be willing to sign a commitment form that you will attend the meeting, should you receive the travel funds.
To apply, please send the following to sheatmizzou@gmail.com with the subject line “AAAS application” by Monday, January 22 at 11:59 PM CT:
- Resume/CV
- 2 clips/writing samples
- A paragraph explaining why you wish to attend AAAS and why this experience would be meaningful for you.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions in the GroupMe, or by emailing Sara directly at HilesS@missouri.edu.
Need inspiration to freshen up a story or even shape a new one? Come to SHEJ’s Story Salon, where we pick apart what we like about a top-notch science story to better refine our own style.
The discussion will take place on Monday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. in the Palmer Room “Fish Bowl” on the first floor of RJI, on the Nature article “These researchers spent a winter trapped in Arctic ice to capture key climate data.” Feel free to skim through it before the session!
Article snippet: A group of scientists in the fastest warming part of the planet, just outside the North Pole, collecting crucial climate data. The year-long project began October 2019 when the Polarstern Icebreaker cut its engines in the Arctic Ocean; leaving the scientists to spend the winter months trapped in a giant frozen slab of Arctic ice. It stayed drifting, with teams of scientists travelling to and from using icebreakers and aircraft.
After looking at the story together, we’ll share other books and journalistic articles we personally look to for inspiration. Articles and books recommended will be listed in a blog post following the meeting for your reference.
Welcome to our roundup, where we summarize some of the important science, health, and environmental related stories circulating in today’s news climate.
ARE TICKS ON THE RISE? – Although many may speculate that due to the higher temperatures this summer, tick populations have declined, the data disagrees. KBIA’s Health and Wealth Desk Reporter Rebecca Smith debunked this theory by talking to experts, that said “Missouri is a utopia for ticks” and “ticks are survivors.” Despite the fact temperature conditions have changed, ticks will continue to sustain their three-year lifespan. However, they may be seen moving farther north in the future. To read more about this story and the changing patterns of ticks, click here.
POSSIBLE JULY HEAT CULPRITS – Seth Borenstein, an Associated Press journalist, reported on the myriad of factors that led to July being six-tenths of a degree in Fahrenheit hotter than the previous record. Scientists are split on this idea,pointing towards the January 2022 eruption of the undersea volcano, Junga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai and the continued increase of maritime shipping methods as possible factors in the sudden increase in temperatures. Maritime shipping uses fuel that projects particles into the sunlight that can mask global warming effects, while the eruption has also launched a large amount of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The eruption in 2022 and maritime shipping both show how damaging the blast of water vapor in large amounts into the atmosphere can be for the climate. Atmospheric scientist for NASA and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Tianle Yuan, has analyzed the changing cloud patterns and points towards a possibility of the atmosphere warming due to loss of sulfur pollution that previously worked as a cooling mechanism that masked some effects from global warming. To read more about July breaking heat records, click here.
SUPERCONDUCTORS – Vox Magazine’s Dylan Mathews reported on the LK-99 superconductor discovered by physicists in South Korea. The invention of a superconductor that uses a small portion of the energy used now to operate could prove to be revolutionary. In this world of technology and transportation, it would create an energy source free of carbon that is safer and more efficient than nuclear fission. The discovery of a superconductor is not a new one though. Physicists have known about them since 1911, used in MRI machines, but those have to be at extreme temperature gradients to be successful. Although the notion of a superconductor could be false, the idea of one or the motivation to get to a practical superconductor is enough to propel physicists into a “renewed investment” in this venture. To read more about superconductors, click here.
WHERE IS PATHOGEN X? – 60 Minutes’ Bill Whitaker reported on the hunt for the next Coronavirus sub-variant, Pathogen X in Africa, and their race to find it before the pathogen finds us. Whitaker went along as epidemiologists took swab samples from mountain gorillas and bats in caves. With this hunt for the next deadly pathogen, wildlife epidemiologist Christine Johnson says that “another pandemic is guaranteed,” and that “It’s not a matter of if, but when. That’s why we’re so committed to preparation.” To read more about this story and the race to find Pathogen X, click here.
NEW JELLYFISH FOSSIL FOUND – Science correspondent for Smithsonian Magazine, Riley Black, reported on the 508-million-year-old jellyfish fossils found in British Columbia, that could prove to be the oldest swimming jellyfish that paleontologists have ever found. The jellyfish, now named Burgessomedusa phasmiformis, found during the Cambrian period (part of the Paleozoic era) has confirmed the idea that the first jellyfishes swam over reefs and draped their tentacles down in order to capture their prey, similar to how current jellyfish hunt. Paleontologists have been on the prowl for jellyfish fossils during the Cambrian period for a while now, and have finally found another one to add to the collection, which first began to take shape in 2007 with the 505-million-year-old medusa jellyfish. To read more about the significance of this discovery, click here.
If there are any stories you want to see included in our monthly roundups, email Sarah Kiefer at kiefers@umsystem.edu.
SHEJ is offering students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to go on an educational expedition down the Missouri River with Missouri River Relief! Participants will take a motorboat down the river while listening to guest speakers and doing hands-on activities to explore history, mysteries and issues surrounding the river. The trip will take place on […]
We missed you, SHEJers! Our first meeting of the semester will be an overview of what SHEJ at Mizzou has accomplished in the past and what opportunities will be offered to students in the upcoming academic year. From field trips to fellowships, you won’t want to miss it. So join us on Tuesday, Aug. 29 […]
MU science writers, be sure to submit your fellowship application soon!
Applications for the $5,000 funding opportunity to cover a national or global underreported science, health or environmental issue are due at 5 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023.
The Smith/Patterson Science Journalism Fellowship is a collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, and bedsides the monetary stipend includes a pairing with a professional journalist mentor, who will assist with editing and story placement, and a trip to Washington D.C. to meet with other Pulitzer student fellows for Fellows Weekend.
The application materials include three references, a generalized budget, a 250-word pitch, and 2-3 samples of published work. The opportunity is exclusive to undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in the Missouri School of Journalism.
For more information: http://bit.ly/MUPulitzerFAQ
To apply now: http://bit.ly/MUPulitzerapp2023
Don’t hesitate to ask questions in the GroupMe, by emailing Sara directly at HilesS@missouri.edu.
Let’s watch a documentary together!
SHEJ will be hosting a documentary watch party of Picture a Scientist on Tuesday, March 7th at 5:30 p.m. in the Palmer Room “Fish Bowl” of RJI. The documentary follows Biologist Nancy Hopkins, chemist Raychelle Burks, and geologist Jane Willenbring as they discuss the inequalities they have faced in STEM.
Popcorn provided
Science writers, we want you to succeed!
SHE-J’s next meeting will be focused on that. Have big things you want to cover, but aren’t sure how to organize your thoughts or make reporting financial feasible? Don’t know what to write about but want to expand your science writing portfolio? There are resources we want to connect you with.
SHEJ’s next meeting will be a story workshop to on Feb. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Palmer Room “Fish Bowl” on the first floor of RJI. There will be pitch meeting with stories up for grabs and an open discussion workshop to help develop those ideas, or any other stories you bring to the table.
Additionally, we will be providing more information about the on the Smith/Patterson Fellowship, that has provided science writers at Mizzou upwards of $5,000 to cover science, health and environmental stories. Attend the meeting and stay tuned to this blog to learn more about the application process.
Hello Mizzou SHE-Jers,
The spring semester is starting off on the right foot, and we’re ready for that warm weather! We were excited to see some science, health and environmental stories published this past month. Here are some of our favorite stories from January!
Missourian reporter, Clayton Vickers, reported on how the MU Viral Immunology Lab is discovering ways to combat RNA viruses. Bumsuk Hahm, a professor at the MU School of Medicine, is overseeing this research and has led his team to a groundbreaking discovery – how viruses work with specific enzymes to regulate host immunity. To read more about his research process and future virology steps, click here.
KBIA reporter, Darian Benson, reported on how hospitals are screening productions of actors acting out scripts of drug use to break stigma amongst healthcare officials. Watching these videos has been proved to incite empathy in providers, increasing patient care. To learn more about how this method worked, click here.
From Innovations in Science and Technology 2023 with the Columbia Missourian, reporter Sky Sload reported on the discovery of a new treatment for Type 1 diabetes by two MU professors, Haval Shirwan and Esma Yolcu. According to the article, the process includes a mechanism coined, “apoptosis”, where differing proteins destroy cells causing detrimental effects on the body. To learn more about the research process, click here.
Science News reporter, Alexandra Witze, reported on viable methods to reach net-zero carbon emissions. According to the article, the path to a less destructive environment means producing, “vast amounts of new electricity from sources such as wind, solar and hydropower and transforming as much of our lives and industries into as possible to run off those sources”. To learn more about the intricacies of these methods, click here.
Science News reporter, Carolyn Gramling, reported on how the mining of bastnaesite, otherwise known as “rare earths” could lead to national security threats and leave detrimental environmental impacts on the planet. Bastnaesite contains fluorine, carbon, cerium, and europium, which are elements that hold high value across the world. To learn more about the ethical dilemma behind mining for this collection of “rare earth”, read here.
If you have any science, health, or environmental news articles that should get a highlight, reach out to Kat Ramkumar at krmkp@umsystem.edu.
Hope you had a restful break and a smooth transition into the spring semester science communicators!
Our first meeting of the season will be on Jan. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the Palmer Room “Fish Bowl” on the first floor of RJI. There will be snacks.
The meeting will discuss SHEJ’s plans for the semester, including information on the Smith/Patterson Fellowship and upcoming conferences. New and familiar faces on the current SHEJ executive board will also be introduced.
Anyone interested in science communication is welcome, so feel free to bring friends.
Join a SHEJ trip to Washington, D.C. for #AAAS2023!
Cover the premiere national science meeting, spanning research from robotics to climate, in the nation’s capital! Join Science, Health and Environmental Journalism @ Mizzou as we travel to Washington, D.C. for the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on March 2-5, 2023.
The National Association of Science Writers (NASW) partners with AAAS at the conference to offer two invaluable opportunities for student journalists:
- A mentorship program, in which students are matched with a working journalist or science communicator to learn from throughout the week.
- An internship fair, where more than a dozen news outlets (including National Geographic, Nature and Science News) interview students for upcoming internship positions.
We’ve secured funding to assist two students with travel expenses to AAAS. If you’re interested in applying for these funds, and traveling with SHEJ, please consider the following:
- You must be a member of SHEJ and NASW to attend. NASW membership is required for the mentorship program and the internship fair. We can help you with applying!
- You must be willing to produce content in the form of reported blog posts, freelance pitches/pieces or another medium while at the meeting.
- You must be willing to share about your experience at AAAS with other SHEJ members at a future organization meeting.
- You must be willing to sign a commitment form that you will attend the meeting, should you receive the travel funds.
To apply, please send the following to Sheatmizzou@gmail.com with the subject line “AAAS application” by Friday, December 30, 2022 at 5:00 PM CT:
- Resume/CV
- 2 clips/writing samples
- A paragraph explaining why you wish to attend AAAS and why this experience would be meaningful for you.
Apply to join the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Annual Conference from April 19 – 23, 2022 in scenic Boise, Idaho!
The #SEJ2023 conference will focus on urbanization and wildlife, the energy transition, and resource conservation. Check out the agenda for more information.
SHEJ has secured funding to assist at least two students with travel and lodging expenses for SEJ. If you’re interested in applying for these funds and traveling with SHEJ to #SEJ2022, please consider the following:
- You must be a member of SHEJ to attend.
- You must be willing to produce content in the form of reported blog posts, social media posts, freelance pitches/pieces or another medium while at the meeting.
- You must be willing to share about your experience at SEJ2022 with other SHEJ members at a future organization meeting.
- You must be willing to sign a commitment form that you will attend the conference and a related, on-campus SHEJ meeting, should you receive the travel funds.
- Funding covers airfare, lodging, and registration fees. Student attendees will need to cover their own food, though some meals will be provided at the conference, and transport to/from the airport.
- You will pay your expenses up front and submit receipts to be reimbursed. It helps if you have your own credit card or bank account for reimbursement purposes.
Proof of vaccination or recent negative test results will be required for all registered attendees. Masks will be mandatory unless otherwise specified. Read SEJ’s COVID-19 Protocols.
To apply, please send the following to sheatmizzou@gmail.com with the subject line “SEJ2023 application” by Friday ,December 30, 2022 at 5 p.m. CT:
- Resume/CV
- 2 clips/writing samples (unpublished samples are OK)
- A paragraph-length response explaining why you wish to attend SEJ and why this experience would be meaningful for you.
Tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. we will host our guest lecture from climate journalist Amal Ahmed! Her lecture will talk about her Pulitzer Center-funded reporting from the front lines of climate change on the Texas Coast.
We here at SHE-J are looking for new exec board members to take on roles this upcoming spring! This is the perfect way to get involved in this field, meet likeminded people, and have fun while doing it. All while sharing your love for science journalism. We are looking for a new president, vice-president, treasurer, … Continue reading Opportunity: Join the SHEJ Executive Board!
The Ag & Water Desk is putting on its inaugural Fall Conference at the Missouri School of Journalism from October 26-28, and it’s an opportunity you DON’T want to miss. Meet the amazing 20 professional journalists from all across the region that are behind the Ag & Water Desk, and enjoy several educational opportunities such … Continue reading Ag & Water Desk Fall Conference
Hello Mizzou SHE-Jers, Leaves are falling, lattes are brewing and stories are being reported! These are some of our favorite science, health, and environmental stories from campus outlets! Missourian reporter, Claudia Rivera Cotto, reported on the discovery of a new room while mapping Devil’s Icebox Cave. Cotto interviewed the volunteer group responsible for this new … Continue reading October SHE-J Story Roundup
Hello SHE-J, Hope y’all are enjoying some beautiful fall weather and foliage! We have new and exciting updates for everyone as October kicks off. Ami Vitale Masterclass Join us as we welcome a celebrated science journalist to campus! 2022 Missouri Honor Medal recipient Ami Vitale is an award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker. Her work has … Continue reading SHEJ UPDATES 10/07/2022
Welcome to the fall semester, SHE-Jers! Our first meeting of the season will be Thursday, September 1st from 6-7pm in Smith Forum in the J-school. We will be going over what SHE-J is, what we have planned for the semester, and offering opportunities to develop as a science journalist. Refreshments will be provided. We’re looking … Continue reading First Fall Meeting 9/1/22
Hello Mizzou community, Welcome to a new year with SHEJ at Mizzou! We are a student organization at the Missouri School of Journalism, who gather around the exiciting world of science, health and environmental reporting. We host a number of events every semester, and offer professional development opportunities for those interested in the field. With … Continue reading Welcome Back!
Hello SHE-J stalwarts, We’ve officially completed my fourth and final day of the conference. I am eager to share what I have gotten from my final activities. So buckle up for the last leg of this blog! In the morning, I went to a panel on environmental engagement reporting moderated by freelance journalist Dalyah Jones. … Continue reading SEJ Day 4: Engagement and Collaboration in Environmental Journalism
Hello SHE-J followers, Day 3 of SEJ in Houston is well underway! I hope you are hanging in there with me as the conference hits the halfway point. Today’s sessions pivoted towards practices of environmental reporting. As part of my master’s program here at Mizzou, I am planning a professional project on how to make … Continue reading SEJ Day 3: Religion and Solutions in Environmental Journalism
Hello SHE-J Squad, Hope you are enjoying following my time at the conference! Today, I went on an all-day field excursion to Galveston Bay. The tour’s emphasis was on aquaculture in Houston, the Galveston coastline, and threatened species on Texas beaches. Emily Foxhall of the Houston Chronicle and Katie Watkins of Houston Public Media led … Continue reading SEJ Day 2: Galveston Fishing Field Trip
Hello SHE-J crew, Just wrapped up a fantastic first day at SEJ! While my brain is overflowing from eight hours of panels, I will quickly recap what I learned about covering oceans and coasts. Panel 1: Carbon and Oceans I got my day started with a panel on carbon capture and oceans, led by the … Continue reading SEJ Day 1: Oceans and Coasts Workshop!
Hello SHE-Jers, Happy spring break! My name is Adam Goldstein, and I am a Mizzou graduate student on the Digital Reporting track from San Francisco, California. I’m also on the executive board of SHE-J at Mizzou! Unlike many fellow students (who are reading this beachside next to a rum fishbowl), I decided to spend my vacation … Continue reading SEJ Day 0.5: The Prologue…
Hello Mizzou SHE-Jers, Can you believe we’re already over halfway through the semester?! It’s shaping up to be a beautiful spring in Missouri. And we thought we’d honor it by sharing science, health, and environmental journalism springing from campus outlets! Missourian reporter Alex Espinda looked at the effects of “long COVID” on Columbia resident Sonya Satterwhite. … Continue reading March SHE-J Story Roundup!
Due April 8th! The Smith/Patterson Fellowship is a joint program with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and this year they will be awarding two $5,000 stipends to Missouri School of Journalism students to fund domestic or international reporting on under-covered issues relating to science, health, and the environment. In addition to the stipend, students … Continue reading $5,000 Smith Patterson Fellowship Reminder
Hi Mizzou SHEJ-ers! We have several important updates about upcoming events this semester. These trips are sure to be a good time, so mark your calendars and tell your friends! 😊 Upcoming Events: Urban Ag & Food Insecurity Field Trip – Friday, March 18, 2:30-5:30 pm SHE-J members are welcome to join Science Writing students for … Continue reading Upcoming SHE-J Events: CCUA, Stream Teams, and Linda Villarosa
Hello Mizzou family, Spring is (finally) here, and with it comes the opportunity to join the Executive Board of Science, Health, and Environmental Journalism at Mizzou! We have a number of openings for the upcoming year. We are looking for eager students to take social media, treasurer, webmaster, outreach specialist, and secretary roles on our … Continue reading 2022-23 SHEJ Leadership Positions Available!
Hello all, We are sending our best wishes for the new year! We also want to share some of the impactful science, health, and environmental journalism happening on Mizzou campus. 2022 has started off with some incredible reporting, including an investigation into LGBTQ+ student healthcare from Mizzou graduate student Eleanor McCrary. McCrary found that many … Continue reading February 2022 SHE-J Roundup
Apply to join the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Annual Conference from March 30 – April 3, 2022 in Houston, TX!
The #SEJ2022 conference will focus on environmental health and justice, energy and climate change, and oceans and coasts. Check out the agenda for more information.
SHEJ has secured funding to assist at least four students with expenses to travel to SEJ. If you’re interested in applying for these funds and traveling with SHEJ to #SEJ2022, please consider the following:
- You must be a member of SHEJ to attend.
- You must be willing to produce content in the form of reported blog posts, social media posts, freelance pitches/pieces or another medium while at the meeting.
- You must be willing to share about your experience at SEJ2022 with other SHEJ members at a future organization meeting.
- You must be willing to sign a commitment form that you will attend the conference and a related, on-campus SHEJ meeting, should you receive the travel funds.
- Funding covers airfare, lodging, and registration fees. Student attendees will need to cover their own food, though some meals will be provided at the conference, and transport to/from the airport.
- You will pay your expenses up front and submit receipts to be reimbursed. It helps if you have your own credit card or bank account for reimbursement purposes.
Proof of vaccination or recent negative test results will be required for all registered attendees. Masks will be mandatory unless otherwise specified. Read SEJ’s COVID-19 Protocols.
To apply, please send the following to sheatmizzou@gmail.com with the subject line “SEJ2022 application” by Friday, February 11 at 5 p.m. CT:
- Resume/CV
- 2 clips/writing samples (unpublished samples are OK)
- A paragraph explaining why you wish to attend SEJ and why this experience would be meaningful for you.
Elizabeth Derner and Teagan King
SHEJ members met Tom Knudson, a renowned environmental journalist, on Tuesday and discussed how rigorous reporting can illuminate issues hidden from public awareness.
Knudson, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, received a 2021 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. He talked with the club privately and shared newspaper clippings of his work from the ‘80s. He later gave a public presentation on what he learned from his career and received the medal.
Students were interested in Knudson’s environmental journalism experiences, as many want to pursue science journalism and highlight current issues themselves. Knudson noted that the work is crucial for helping the public understand issues in the world.
“It baffles me today how much of society is turning against science,” Knudson said. “Science is how we come together and move forward.”
Knudson’s interest in science emerged while attending Iowa State University, where he didn’t study science, but saw how peer-reviewed journals could draw attention to societal issues. After graduating in 1980, Knudson began working at the Des Moines Register. He covered local news and agriculture, which he was familiar with after growing up in rural Iowa.
Knudson lost a cousin to a farm accident when he was young, which exposed him to the serious occupational accidents many farmers encountered. This experience and his appreciation of science inspired much of his reporting, including his “Harvest of Harm” story that earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1985.
To engage the public with complex scientific issues such as the risks in farming, Knudson advised emphasizing human impact or profiling scientists doing the work. To tell compelling, significant stories, he encouraged students to investigate issues thoroughly to amplify muffled voices.
“Part of what makes journalism interesting is trying to find real stories and not just settling for the spin,” Knudson said. “There’s a lot of pack syndrome in journalism where everybody seems to cover the same thing. I try to not follow the pack. I try to take my time and look for the stories behind the stories.”
In Knudson’s work, collecting solid information included “reading voraciously,” digging through records for data and speaking with scientists. For his “Harvest of Harm” project, his findings from public records of farming injuries and death certificates shaped much of the story.
In the discussion, Knudson said he is considering revisiting the issue of farming injuries. He said the science in the farming industry has developed incredibly in the past 36 years, but is still important to examine.
“It’s good that we did what we did with the Register back then,” Knudson said. “But it’s not enough.”
He also discussed the series he is proudest of writing, “The Pineros: Men of the Pines,” which won an Overseas Press Club of America award. The stories focused on legal migrant forest workers who were exploited, injured and even killed on the job — but were denied the legal protection U.S. farmers received for similar incidents. Knudson said he wanted to shed light on the inequality they faced that the public hadn’t seen.
“[The forest workers] suffered so much,” Knudson said. “It was a story so hidden it had never seen the light of day.”
Knudson left students with a final piece of advice informed by his career of impactful stories.
“[Successful journalism] is a mix of luck, patience, perseverance and persistence,” Knudson said. “You’re going to have roadblocks, but figure out ways around them. And if you run into another roadblock, find a way around that one, too.”
By Danielle Pycior
Miles O’Brien has been a journalist since the late ‘80s focusing on science, technology, aerospace and environmental stories in the broadcast journalism world. He’s reported on war, natural disasters, pollution, space, public health, and technology and its limitations. Most recently, he has worked for CNN, PBS NewsHour and NOVA. His career has been long and impressive, shedding light on difficulty and giving people a voice. His background in history led him to think deeply and thoughtfully on the stories he approaches, and his curiosity about science has helped seek new truths. In 2014, he lost his forearm on assignment in Japan. He said the experience forever changed the way he approaches people who undergo trauma.
SHEJ President Danielle Pycior, a senior studying environmental journalism, spoke with O’Brien about how he works through difficult stories, remains sensitive to the people he covers and maintains his own sanity throughout a long, challenging career. Though journalism can be exhausting, he said that this work is important, and he wouldn’t trade his career for any other.
Q: How long have you been reporting on science and environmental topics?
A: I was a general assignment reporter for the first 12 years of my career at local news stations. And then I took a job at CNN in April of 1992 and was the science correspondent, which is kind of an accidental career change for me. I was a history major who got interested in journalism, pursued that and journalism led me to science. So, it’s kind of backwards from a lot of people’s approach to it.
Q: Could you talk about the first story that really emotionally affected you as a journalist and how you learned to grapple with that?
A: I was working here in Boston at the time for a local station. There was a US Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf that was hit by a missile launched by the Iranians. It killed several sailors and one of the sailors was in Massachusetts, about a two-hour drive from Boston, and so my bosses sent a photographer and I to go out and get the interview with the family that was grieving the loss of this young sailor.
We drove out to this location west of Boston and the whole time we had increasing misgivings about the whole idea that we were just going to pull up to this guy’s house with a microphone and ask him how he felt. We knew with great certainty that we were the only reporters who had the information. I turned to the photographer, I said, ‘Bill, you know what, I can’t do this. We could just tell the desk that we came out here, we knocked on the door and they said no. And who’s going to know? I won’t tell.’ So, we literally were pulling in the driveway to turn around and go back and the door opens. The guy walks right up to the window and he says, officer is there anything I can do to help you. So, we tell him, ‘We’re not officers, we’re members of the media, and we actually don’t want to bother you, sir, we were going to go back to Boston.’ He said ‘Oh, I really would like you to come in I want everybody to know about my son.’
It gives me goosebumps every time I tell the story. So, we went in the house and he brings out the photo albums and he was so proud of his son and wanted to share his life. It was part of his process of grieving and it gave his death some meaning to him. It really made me think about what we do and what the consequences of what we do are and how intrusive we can be, and how at times, what we might think is intrusive is actually welcomed. And part of that for him was probably a little bit of therapy.
Q: How do you find the fine line between professionalism and emotion?
A: Yeah, it’s tough. In 2014, I was on a reporting trip and I lost my left arm in a fluke accident and I didn’t want to make it the center of my life, but Sanjay Gupta at CNN persuaded me to do something and so he ended up filming a special on the whole thing. I remember very distinctly when he was honing into the kill, as it were, trying to get me to emote, and I knew what he was doing because I’ve done it for 30 years myself and I saw it coming and still, he got me to cry on camera. I have to say that whole experience was really a tremendous learning experience for me because all these years of being on one side of that equation, I really hadn’t been in a position where I had to share my most personal story with the world. There’s this sense of being naked on the street and so I have tried to always remember that marching forward as I approach people who may or may not want to share. We have to try to tiptoe and be polite and be empathic. We’re still a bull in the china shop when we’re doing some of these stories. We walk in with the camera and start asking people the most intimate aspects of their life and we’re not doing our job if you aren’t asking those questions, right, so it’s good to be on the other end of that equation every now and then just to feel what it feels like.
Q: Has losing your arm changed the way that you approach people in a specific way?
A: Pretty much. Yeah, I am much quicker to disengage. I mean, the experience is kind of the opposite of the experience I had with the sailor’s father. At this stage of the game I probably have a little less to prove in my career, which changes your ambitions and your desire to get that story. But I also know enough to know what it’s like to be in a crisis and grieving and what it’s like to be exposed that way. The other thing that’s been interesting too is I’m connected with people in a different way that I used to be being visibly disabled. People who have talked to me differently, I’m kind of in a little club that I didn’t know existed and people are much more candid with me about their disabilities and their losses and what’s happened to them.
Q: So, when it comes to sensitive topics, how do you decide what’s important to tell your audience and what’s not important?
A: You need to connect with people somehow. And so, to a certain extent, you have to go there, or else you don’t understand, and you don’t connect. So as far as knowing how much is right, it’s kind of like Potter Stewart who said, “I know it when I see it.” When I write a story and watch the rough cut, I just know it. There’s intuition, there’s no science to that. That’s kind of a distinct human reaction that we all have, and if you do it for enough years you know it.
Q: What should young journalists consider when covering conflict or natural disasters?
A: First, no story is worth dying over. Ultimately, journalism is about taking risks, right? I mean, you’re talking to a guy that went to Fukushima, seven or eight times, there’s a certain amount of risk involved in that. But it’s a calculated risk. Good stories often lead you down that path, so you have to think about what you’re doing and whether it’s worth it. Is this risk worth it? What are the pros and cons? It’s really important to protect your own skin because you’re not going to get the story done if you’re dead or injured.
A year ago, right about this time, we drove right into the heart of the fire in Paradise, California, and it was a risk. We were we were surrounded by fire, and at a certain point, I looked up and I realized that the fire truck and police car had left, and I was like, you know what, okay, that is my signal that I don’t need to be there anymore. Just always be aware of where you are and what your escape route is because it’s important to save your skin.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts or advice?
A: Never, never stop reading, never stop being curious, never stop working on perfecting the craft of writing. Keep those three things in mind. Stay curious, stay informed. Keep writing. Keep making your writing better and make every word count. That’s really important. If you keep those three things going the journalism will happen and the good stuff will happen.
By Libby Moeller
Photo by Tomasz Stepinski/ClimateEx
This climate map from the University of Cincinatti shows where the most and least climate change could occur over the next 50 years. Green indicates low change and brown indicates high change
WASHINGTON — As temperatures continue to warm, the U.S. will see a substantial increase in electricity demand and decrease in outdoor labor productivity, a federal official said Friday at the 2019 American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Jim McFarland, an economist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, shared more details during the session “Climate Impacts Analysis: Integrating Scientific Disciplines.”
McFarland was a contributing author on the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released on Nov. 23, 2018. The report described the impacts and risks posed to the country by climate change in categories such as human health, air quality and transportation. The assessment was issued by 13 federal agencies and included 29 chapters to highlight areas of concern and potential responses.
The report examined results across 24 sectors, McFarland said, but it did not go into specific detail for all of those categories. Some of the areas left undiscussed included impacts and risks relating to outdoor labor, livestock, groundwater, electric power interruptions, transportation waterways and violent crime.
McFarland focused on two of the subjects, outdoor labor and electric power interruptions, during his presentation. He referenced two different climate scenarios, the medium and high emission scenarios, when describing potential impacts.
Medium scenario RCP 4.5 (left) and high scenario RCP 8.5 (right); Images courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the medium scenario will see greenhouse gas emissions stabilize by the year 2100, assuming that the proper technologies are used and efforts are made to reduce emissions. The high emissions scenario will see a global rise in temperature between 5 and 6 degrees celsius by the end of the century, also according to NOAA.
Industries like construction and agriculture will see a decline in productivity due to warming temperatures and harsher outside working conditions, McFarland said. Losses could range from $35 billion to $44 billion yearly by 2050 under the two scenarios.
Where electric power is concerned, demand is expected to increase. According to McFarland, national power system costs will rise with higher electricity demands that will come from a more frequent use of air conditioning and other cooling systems.
In both climate scenarios, McFarland reported that economic damages are expected to vary widely. Losses will range in the millions and billions.
“There’s a big range of the impacts depending on what sector you are talking about,” McFarland said.
McFarland also touched on some of the issues that had been highlighted in the November report, including current emissions levels, sea levels and human health.
“Because sea level rise has such a long inertia in the system, you’re going to be making huge investments to harden your coastal infrastructures regardless of which scenario,” McFarland said.
When asked by one audience member how the EPA can educate people to combat climate change, McFarland said that, in the end, the response will have to come from individuals. He said consuming less beef is one tactic people should consider to lessen their carbon footprint.
“We know that we need to get to roughly net zero carbon emissions as a society to arrest the warming,” said McFarland, who noted that the views expressed were his own. “So every little bit absolutely helps.”
Particle Physics leads the way in international advancement
By Danielle Pycior
WASHINGTON D.C. –
Throughout the past decade, particle physics has set itself apart by creating global partnerships that pave the way for greater scientific advancement.
Physicists from around the world spoke about the importance of international collaboration at the “Particle Physics: Frontier Science and International Partnerships” panel at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Washington D.C. Feb. 15.
“Exchange of ideas and expertise from across the globe are vitally important,” said Jim Siegrist, associate director for high energy physics at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Siegrist explained that truly great science can happen when experts from around the globe can collaborate, share knowledge and research, and bring their diverse perspectives and backgrounds together.
Barry Barish, 2017 Nobel Laureate and professor at the University of California-Riverside, understands first hand how global teams lead to discovery.
“Being inclusive is a fantastic asset, an aspect that particle physicists are proud of,” Barish said.
Barish highlighted the large-scale high technology projects in particle physics that have led to multiple Nobel Prizes throughout the past decade as examples of how global collaboration leads to success.
The most recent Nobel Prize for particle physics, for which Barish led more than a thousand researchers from more than 20 countries, was an international collaboration that realized a 50-year goal of observing gravitational waves.
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, which is a huge pair of laser interferometers, was used to measure the gravitational waves as they passed Earth.
“This kind of science just couldn’t be done without a larger effort,” Siegrist said.
As technology continues to increase and other scientific fields begin attempting similar global teams, the panelists said it’s more important than ever to continue great scientific work by following successful models and being aware of the good and the bad that comes with international work.
CERN, a European research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, helped particle physics become the global effort that it is today. It began in Europe in 1949, and now operates in 22 countries with over 13,000 sites.
“The CERN model is inherently one based on collaboration and partnership,” said Charlotte Warakaulle, director for international relations at CERN.
Warakaulle said that creating strategies, sharing priorities, creating a structure for long-term commitment and acknowledging that one size doesn’t always fit all are vital to the success of these large partnerships.
Despite the difficulty of funds, formal agreements, stable government relations and various other project issues that may appear, each panelist emphasized the importance and success that these global projects bring to the scientific community.
“The good easily outweighs the bad,” Barish said.
Barish highlighted a few of the future large-scale projects including dark energy, Higgs physics and general relativity multimessenger astronomy.
“The collaboration and combined resources are really what enables us to do this fantastic science,” Barish said.
By Ashton Day
Internship season is upon us! Can you believe it? Neither can we. On February 6, 2018, SHEJ hosted an internship panel to answer questions and ease the minds of students who are in the process of applying for internships. The panel featured three SHEJ alum that shared their experiences from the initial application process to the first few weeks at their new internship. Thank you to Katy Cawdrey, Katy Mersmann and Molly Olmstead for sharing their expertise with us! Based on the panel, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks below to keep you confident and stand out when applying for internships.
1. Apply everywhere and often
It takes some time, but it’ll help you in the long run if you apply to any and all internships that interest you. Everyone on our panel mentioned that they didn’t hear back from around 80 percent of the internships they applied to. While this statistic seems terrifying, that just means the more you apply to, the greater your chances are of landing something. Keep trying and don’t give up!
2. Know what to expect
The internship process is different everywhere. Some are traditional applications asking for your cover letter, resume and conducting a few interviews. Others are highly regimented applications that apply to all departments within the organization, not just the one you’re interested in. Chances are you might be faced with some tough questions, tests or other requirements. Do some research by talking to people you know, professors, individuals already working within the place you are applying to or searching online to see what has been required in the past. Be sure to take some time to figure out what to expect during the application process before you jump in.
3. Update your resume and cover letter often
It’s so important to update your resume for every application. You’ll want to include keywords that are listed on the application in case the organization uses software to sift through applicants. The same goes with cover letters. Make sure they are both relevant, succinct, and specific to the job you’re applying for. When it comes to the cover letter, make sure it’s not just repeating everything on your resume. You’ll want to keep it short and show familiarity with the place you’re applying to. And always, always, always take the time to double check your spelling, grammar and appropriate names on both your resume and cover letter.
4. Keep a spreadsheet
Since you’ll be applying to dozens of internships and rewriting resumes and cover letters for each one, it might be beneficial to keep a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet should have the name of the organization, deadline and what you still need to do and already have done for the application.
5. Master the elevator pitch
If you make it past the application into the interviewing phase, or are making the rounds at a career fair, you’ll want to have your elevator pitch down. An elevator pitch is a one to two minute pitch about you, what you’re interested in, and some examples of your top pieces of work. You’ll want to practice this a lot to really get it down, but once it’s figured out it’ll help interviewers get a better idea of you and your skills.
6. Be familiar with the organization you’re applying for
When you go into an interview, you’ll want to be familiar with the organization you’re applying for. Search around their site, know what their mission is as an organization, and have a couple favorite stories or campaigns in mind to discuss. This shows that you’re engaged with their work and that you have ideas to contribute once you’re part of the organization.
7. Use your J-School experiences to your advantage
The Missouri School of Journalism is great for a lot of reasons, including the awesome skills you’ve learned while here. Be sure to have a list of these skills and what you’ve learned in school to mention during your interview. Our panelists said that a big selling point to mention is your ability to meet deadlines. Have concrete examples of quick deadlines that you’ve met while in the MU newsrooms. You can also use your reporting and/or research experience to explain how you’re able to learn things quickly. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of Mizzou connections. Do some digging to see if there are MU graduates within the organization you’re interested in and reach out to get insight into the organization.
8. Once you get started, get to know your team
So you’ve made it through the application, interview and got the internship. Now what? Starting out in a new place can be intimidating, but you only have a matter of weeks to make a lasting impression. One of the biggest tips our panelists had was to make friends within your organization/team. These turn into connections that will, hopefully, get you a job in the future. Since you only have a limited amount of time there, you’ll also want to jump in right away. It’s important to grab whatever work you can, but stay mindful of your supervisors. Asking, “what can I do” all the time just creates more work for them, and you want to be an asset, not a nuisance. It’s helpful if you mention the other skills you have, not just the ones that got you hired. For example, if you were hired to produce video but have a lot of experience with social media, mention that you can help out in other areas.
9. Take advantage of the semesters you have left
You may be eager to get out into the working world, but it’s important to take advantage of the semesters and classes you have left. Our panelists said if they could go back and do J-School over they would take more classes in design, data journalism and investigative journalism, as well as classes outside the school that focused on science and reading journal articles. All of these skills are necessary in their current positions.
10. Stay positive
Finally, just relax! Applying and interviewing for internships can be exhausting. Add in the possibility of getting rejected and it can be downright terrifying. But you’re thriving at one of the top journalism schools in the country; there’s nothing you can’t do! And it’s important to remember, rejection DOES NOT equal failure. Our panelists applied to countless internships that they never heard back from, but they didn’t get discouraged. This process is rough on everyone, so embrace the ‘yes’s and don’t see the ‘no’s as a lost opportunity. You know you’re awesome, and you’ll find an employer that recognizes that too! Just breathe, you got this.
Panelists say it takes action to create change
By Danielle Pycior
Jeff Burnside, Faye Park, Dune Ives, Dirk Asendorpf and Roger Cargill are the panelists for “The War on Plastics” that took place on Saturday, October 6, 2018, in Flint, Michigan. “Like everything, there are several answers for one problem,” Cargill said.
FLINT, Michigan –
Since plastic was created in the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons have been produced globally. Most of it now resides in landfills or in the environment.
A panel at the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference in Flint, Michigan, addressed the production of plastic and the changes that need to occur to protect the environment. Speakers at “The War on Plastics: Who’s Winning?” said people need to start acting instead of just talking.
“We let ourselves off the hook every day,” said Dune Ives, executive director of Lonely Whale, a company whose goal is to facilitate “radical collaboration” to help ensure a healthier planet.
Ives said plastic was created to last, which has led to negative consequences as it has continued to creep by the tons into the environment.
“We can’t solve this solution by ourselves. We have to work together,” Ives said.
Ives said that community-based actions are needed to truly make a change. The safe and easy responses are no longer the ones that can save marine life and biodiversity.
Lonely Whale brings organizations together to create campaigns that will spark change. Recently, they’re working on Strawless in Seattle and Stop Sucking. They even host a youth summit to empower younger generations.
Dirk Asendorpf and Roger Cargill sat behind a row of plastic containers at “The War on Plastics” panel that took place on Saturday, October 6, 2018, in Flint, Michigan. Cargill used these examples to explain how plastic quickly took over the public domain.
Dr. Dirk Asendorpf, a researcher from the German publication Die Zeit, spoke about the policy side of this debate.
Asendorpf said 30-year-old laws requiring recycling in Germany have been insufficient because they don’t limit how plastics are used, only where they go when they are no longer, “useful.” He said policies must limit the use of plastic to be effective.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but this can be localized in every place,” Asendorpf said.
Asendorpf agrees that further steps must be taken in local communities to ensure that plastic doesn’t continue to take over the environment.
According to World Economic Forum, by 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic waste than fish.
Ives stressed that the majority of pollution in the ocean isn’t visible from the surface. “95 percent of what’s in the water is under the surface,” she said.
Faye Park, president of U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a nonpartisan group aimed at influencing policy change, said that we live in a throwaway society.
Single-use plastics contribute to swelling landfills and ocean pollution. Faye said industry won’t slow down production, so consumers must help create change.
“It doesn’t really take that much effort to make a switch; remind people of that,” Park said.
Dune Ives, Jeff Burnside, Faye Park, Dirk Asendorpf and Roger Cargill participate with the audience at “The War on Plastics” panel that took place on Saturday, October 6, 2018, in Flint, Michigan. Ives spoke on the state of plastics in our oceans and on the fate of marine life. “Microplastics are showing up everywhere, not just in southeast Asia,” Ives said.
Though plastic has become a fundamental part of everyday life, it has existed for only 70 years. Faye pointed out that other materials were used throughout the majority of human life.
So where do we go from here? The panelists suggested that to ensure a better future, people must work together, make a conscious effort every day, and care about the ecosystems that are being affected.
“At the very core of our environmental issues is care,” said Ives.
The panelists all argued that without the support and effort of everyday people, nothing will change.
By Kassidy Arena
FLINT, Michigan – News flash: Climate change is not something the Chinese invented to disrupt the American economy. The climate change debate is not over whether or not the phenomenon exists, but rather what the people of earth should be doing about it. This made for a hot and heavy conversation topic at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Flint, Michigan, on Oct. 3-7.
The speakers at the SEJ conference sit on stage in Flint, Michigan on October 4, 2018. The speakers tended to speak over one another in an attempt to get their point across. The moderators kept the speakers on time and also ensured each one had his opinions heard. Photo by Kassidy Arena.
The conference brought hundreds of journalists, scientists and policymakers together to discuss the importance of communicating science on global warming, environmental regulations and scientific integrity.
The subject of climate research and policy in the Trump Administration came up frequently. A lunch plenary panel made jabs at the president’s outlook on the environment, but there were also sessions devoted solely to the issue.
In several sessions, former EPA Director Jeff Holmstead and New York Times investigative reporter Eric Lipton tangled.
During the conference session “Science in the Trump Administration,” the panelists Holmstead, Lipton and Joel Clement discussed the role of science in the current administration. They explored options for reporting on environmental, chemical and health issues in an era where science has become increasingly politicized.
Politicians will always look for the best way to push their agenda ideas, but under the Trump administration, the practice of pushing aside the scientific studies that threaten the Republican agenda has become especially prevalent, according to Lipton.
“Critics of the administration will say ‘oh that was done un-scientifically,’ but it wasn’t a scientific question from their perspective,” Holmstead said in defense of Republican policy makers.
However, some say the actions of the administration are specifically “un-scientific.” Lipton said backing out of the Paris Climate Agreement, dissolving positions in the Environmental Protection Agency and decreasing pollution regulations (among many other actions) all contribute to harmful effects on the environment.
Jay Austin, senior attorney at the Environmental Law Institute and Editor-in-Chief of the Environmental Law Reporter, said science has now become the business of good or bad “deals.” Austin said this is where the bulk of the problem exists. There is no “good” or “bad” in science. It is simply fact, how the world works, what the numbers show.
The Paris agreement, an almost global response to combat climate change, was seen as an unnecessary expenditure for the United States’ wallet. The president decided to back out of it, as Lipton pointed out. Scientific data is being compromised at the expense of getting anything from the Obama administration out of legislation and out of practice. The current executive office has attempted doing so by making broad use of procedural stays and bureaucratic delays with all the old Obama agenda items, according to Lipton.
Lipton, a Pulitzer Prize winner, argued science is being undermined by the Trump administration. (Lipton also mentioned how Trump has proposed 76 rollbacks to environmental and pollution regulations.) The discussion during the conference took an interesting spin when former EPA deputy administrator Holmstead offered his counterpoints.
One of the more interesting aspects: Homestead, employed under the Bush administration, agreed with Lipton when he asserted how sloppy and unethical the EPA under the Trump administration has behaved.
“Certain types of haste is not going to fly,” Holmstead said of the EPA under Trump’s authority. Both Lipton and Holmstead agree the science and policy go hand-in-hand, but the best agendas do not only have the right procedure, but the right research process and science.
Most of Trump’s proposals concerning the environment and other scientific issues will not immediately go into effect because it takes a longer amount of time to implement them into official policy than it does to tweet the decision in 140 characters or less. However, journalists can continue to report on scientific issues, including climate change, by focusing on the facts of science and the laws behind policy decisions. It is possible that not every tweet is newsworthy, but once that tweet goes into effect, then journalists should look into the effects and let the public be aware of the consequences.
Resources for further interest:
http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/resources/climate-deregulation-tracker/
http://environment.law.harvard.edu/policy-initiative/regulatory-rollback-tracker/
https://www.eli.org/eli-press-books/environmental-protection-in-the-trump-era
Science, Health and Environmental Journalism is a growing organization at Mizzou meant to provide a community and connections for students, staff members and alumni with an interest in recent discoveries in different fields of science and the process of creating news within the science realm.
As the group is growing in numbers and developing various new ideas for expansion during the 2018-19 school-year, we hope to expand our reach beyond students and faculty with interests in science, health and environmental media and news. SHEJ would also like to connect with students who are primarily studying within different categories of science but are interested in learning how to better communicate their scientific findings and processes.
The expansion of our organization is being initiated by the reshaping and developing of SHEJ’s executive team. With the addition of various positions, such as a Social Media Coordinator, a Webmaster, a couple Blog Editors, an Email/Newsletter Coordinator, and an Outreach/Event Coordinator, the organization has already taken big steps to further develop the Science, Health and Environmental Journalism club here at Mizzou. Here is a list of the 2018-19 SHEJ Executive Board Members.
Madelyne Magg, President
Madelyne is a second-year graduate student studying public relations. Her thesis will focus on the communication of climate change research by PR practitioners. She interned as a science writer and editor for Johnson & Johnson this summer.
Cullen Ecoffey, Vice President
Cullen is a junior majoring in strategic communications and political science at the University of Missouri. He aspires to use his skills as a videographer and video editor to produce visual pieces on topics pertaining to science. He spent this summer working as a creative content intern for Sunflower Hill Farms.
Colleen Wouters, Secretary
Colleen is a sophomore and majoring in Magazine Science & Health Writing. She is interested in writing stories about environmental impacts and sustainability. In a quickly changing world, it is important to know how the average person can make a change.
Zia Kelly, Treasurer
Zia is a junior studying Convergence journalism and public health. She aspires to report on health and healthcare issues and is interested in audio storytelling. During her time at the university, she has covered campus politics and administration, as well as produced multiplatform pieces about topics ranging from agriculture pollution regulation to public
Ashton Day, Webmaster
Ashton is a second-year graduate student working toward masters degrees in strategic communication and public health. Ashton uses her love for video storytelling as an executive producer at a health news startup in Columbia. Her passion for health communication stems from a love of the power of social media and the desire to fight misinformation.
Emily Adams, Social Media Coordinator
Emily is a science and agricultural journalism major interested in environmental issues including climate change, healthcare and food insecurity. She plans on using her communication skills and artistic ability to help everyday people relate to the world of science. When she’s not experimenting with the latest social media, marketing and design tools she’s out hiking mid-Missouri trails.
Sara Shipley Hiles, Faculty Advisor
Sara is a former environmental reporter who now specializes in teaching about science, health and environmental journalism. She has been on the Missouri School of Journalism faculty since 2012.