Virtual workshop will focus on localized coverage of climate change impacts and solutions and explore inclusive, equitable approaches to reporting on environmental issues.
The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute has selected 20 journalists for the Institute’s 23rd Annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists. The fellows represent a broad range of small and large news organizations and media platforms from across the U.S., Canada, Egypt, Ghana and Thailand. The workshop will provide journalists with the skills and insight to identify and produce accurate and contextualized climate change stories of local and global significance on a range of issues impacting their news audience, from excessive heat, extreme weather and environmental justice to human health, agriculture, infrastructure and energy.
The Annual Workshop will be held virtually for the second consecutive year over two weeks, May 24 – 28 and June 7-11. While Metcalf Institute looks forward to returning to its signature in-person science immersion program in 2022, the online format allows the Institute to broaden its reach and double the number of Fellows.
Metcalf Fellows will gain foundational knowledge in scientific research and learn from leading experts in environmental science, climate policy, social justice and journalism. The Annual Science Immersion Workshop Fellows will also:
- Learn effective, inclusive approaches to incorporating marginalized and underrepresented communities in their reporting
- Be better prepared to translate scientific findings for news audiences
- Gain the tools and insight to identify local climate change stories
- Learn how to communicate scientific uncertainties
- Produce accurate, contextualized, and inclusive environmental stories
The 2021 Metcalf Institute Fellows are:
- Amy Alonzo, reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal in Reno, Nevada
- Jariel Arvin, reporter for Vox.com in Washington, D.C.
- Natasha Blakely, news director at Detroit Public Television’s Great Lakes Now in Wixom, Michigan
- Katie Brown, reporter for The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting in Hallowell, Maine
- Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, senior reporter and news anchor at GHOne TV in Accra, Ghana
- Hadeer Elhadary, freelance journalist in Giza, Egypt
- Emily Foxhall, environment reporter at the Houston Chronicle in Houston, Texas
- Verena Holzl, freelance journalist in Bangkok, Thailand
- Linda Jue, editor-at-large for the investigative site 100Reporters and contributing editor for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ news site, palabra
- Colin Kinniburgh, freelance journalist in Brooklyn, New York
- Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, community reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune in San Diego, California
- Miguel Otárola, climate and environment reporter for Colorado Public Radio in Denver, Colorado
- Juliana Feliciano Reyes, investigative reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Sophia Schmidt, reporter for Delaware Public Media in Dover, Delaware
- Susan Shain, freelance journalist in Madison, Wisconsin
- Inayat Singh, investigative reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Matthew Smith, reporter and anchor for KIRO 7 in Seattle, Washington
- Ryan Spencer, reporter for the Enterprise News/The Mashpee Enterprise on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Claire Stremple, health and environment reporter for Alaska’s Energy Desk in Juneau, Alaska
- Michael Sol Warren, environment and outdoors reporter for NJ Advance Media in Iselin, New Jersey