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Columbia University’s program in Earth & Environmental Science Journalism

Dual masters degree program for Columbia students that trains journalists with scientific backgrounds and communication skills to inform the public about the Earth and environment in an interesting and accurate manner.

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Columbia University’s program in Earth & Environmental Science Journalism

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  1. Columbia University’sprogram in Earth & Environmental Science Journalism Kim Kastens (kastens@ldeo.columbia.edu) Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University Presentation to SommerUSAademie 2005 Wissenschaftsjournalismus 6 September 2005

  2. Columbia University’sprogram in Earth & Environmental Science Journalism Dual masters degree program for Columbia students Environmental journalists of color project, in collaboration with Society of Environmental Journalists

  3. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Goal: …. to train journalists who have both the scientific background and the communications skills to inform the public about discoveries, processes, insights, and controversies about the Earth and environment, in a manner that is simultaneously interesting and accurate. (Clue: articulate what you are trying to accomplish.)

  4. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Co-sponsored by: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory The Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism (Clue: work with excellent partners.)

  5. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Co-directed by: Kim Kastens (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) Marguerite Holloway (Graduate School of Journalism) (Clue: tap multiple expertises)

  6. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Prerequisites: undergraduate background in science and demonstrated writing ability Course of study: 2 semesters of coursework in Earth & environmental science anchored by “Case Studies in E&ESJ” science masters research project 2 semesters of coursework and practical training in journalism journalism masters project Result: • MA in Earth & Environmental Sciences plus MS in Journalism (Clue: Be tough. Set high standards)

  7. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program What we look for in applicants: • Writing ability, via J-school writing test. • Basic science prerequisites, one college year with grade of B or better in 4 out of 5 of: Geosciences, Biological Sciences Math, Physics, Chemistry • Commitment to communicating across interface between science and society. worked at nature center, national park, science teacher undergraduate double major: science and language student journalism • Avoid science wannabes • Interesting interview; they ask us questions (Clue: Put a lot of energy into admissions process. )

  8. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Case Studies in Earth & Environmental Science Journalism • read articles written for a technical audience about an issue, discovery or controversy • read articles written for a popular audience on the same topic • interview a scientist who worked on the topic • from this primary material, construct understanding of journalistic strategies and devices • 2004-2005: Sumatran tsunami, Teaching Creationism in public schools, Coral bleaching, Arsenic in groundwater of Bangladesh, Marine mammals & sonars, California energy crisis, etc.

  9. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program What is a science research project doing in a journalism education program, anyway?

  10. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Some of the learning objectives for the E&ESJ science research project: • Students will experience the process of finding a research question which is (a) unanswered, but (b) answerable. • Students will master skills or techniques of a subdiscipline of earth or environmental science, thus gaining an appreciation of research as a craft. • Students will generate original data about the Earth or Environment, thus gaining some understanding of the ambiguities and complexities inherent in real data. • Students will generate logically-defensible interpretations from their data, and thus strengthen their ability to build a chain of logic from observation to interpretation, and from cause to effect. • Students will experience the state of mind that comes with total immersion in research, and thus come to recognize science as a creative endeavor. • Students will become a member of an active research group, and will feel the human dynamics of such a group. • Students will gain confidence in their ability to hold their own in the community of scientists.

  11. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program

  12. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Columbia Graduate School of Journalism component Environmental Reporting Advanced Reporting & Writing (RWI) Skills of the Journalist Masters' Project Critical issues in journalism Journalism, the law and society Science Reporting and Writing Media Workshop Master's Project Journalism Elective

  13. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Where do the graduates work? Science-oriented publications Scientific American, Geotimes, Discover Environment-oriented publications On Earth, Audubon Mainstream Media Houston Chronicle, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Albuquerque Journal, Albany Times-Union freelance out of journalism environmental consulting

  14. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Exemplary work: “In Harm’s Way” by Dina Cappiello, 1999 E&ESJ graduate, in Houston Chronicle, 2005

  15. Environmental advocacy Law, policy General reporting Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program Environmental Reporting Science

  16. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program UC Santa Cruz mid-career (MBL, Metcalfe) PhD or MD journalism Columbia E&ESJ work [science] Undergraduate [non-science]

  17. Columbia E&ESJ Masters Program • What I have learned about the overlapping values of scientists and journalists: • curiosity • skepticism • ability to self-educate without a teacher • comfortable out of mainstream of society • search for truth

  18. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project Goals: • To increase the quality, accuracy and visibility of environmental journalism in media reaching people of color. • To increase knowledge of, and interest in, the Earth and environment among minorities underrepresented in the Geoscience workforce.* ______ * Funded by National Science Foundation, Opportunities for the Enhancement of Diversity in the Geosciences program (2001-2005)

  19. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project Hurricane Katrina victims were disproportionately African-American. • because African-Americans in New Orleans are more likely to live in poverty, and lack cars • because African-Americans were less well-informed about natural hazards and environmental risks??? Hurricane Katrina victims, NY Times website

  20. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project Did the warnings in the press miss them? If so, what could journalists, journalism organizations, or media organizations do?

  21. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project • Collaboration between Columbia/E&ESJ and: Society of Environmental Journalists National Association of Black Journalists Native American Journalists Association National Hispanic Journalists Association

  22. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project • Fellowships for minority journalists to attend SEJ meetings • Co-organized sessions and field trips on environmental topics at NABJ, NAJA, and NAHJ meetings • Environmental category in journalism awards programs of minority journalism organizations Brenda Box of WTOP-AM radio, Washington DC, ran a conference mini-tour on the Bayou Savage National Wildlife Refuge at the 2003 SEJ New Orleans conference.

  23. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project

  24. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project But maybe not as knowledgeable: In a survey of 808 undergraduates enrolled in an introductory environmental literacy course, Battles (2003) found 38% of African-American/Blacks vs 51% of Caucasians/Whites agreed with the statement “in general, I had a good understanding of environmental issues before I took this course,” African-Americans are as concerned about environmental issues as European-Americans (Mohai, 2003).

  25. E&ESJ GeoDiversity Project • SEJ Minority Fellows tell us: • Editors consider the environment a “suburban” or “white” beat and don’t tend to assign journalists of color to cover environmental stories. • Editors think minority readers/viewers aren’t interested in environmental topics. • They work on tight deadlines without the time for investigations that environmental stories require. • They write for publications with small staffs, environment beat is rare, science beat unknown. • “Miami’s Hispanic community…live in an information desert with respect to the environmental problems that affect their neighborhoods” (Swafford, 1996).

  26. For further information: Earth & Environmental Science Journalism program: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/eesj/ Diversity in Environmental Journalism program: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/edu/eesj/sejweb/

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