From MSU student to media leader: Susan Goldberg returns to inspire future journalists

By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

Award-winning journalist Susan Goldberg, the president and CEO of GBH and former editor-in-chief of National Geographic, returned to the MSU campus to speak with students, faculty and community members at the Neal Shine Ethics Lecture.

Susan Goldberg speaking on March 10th at MSU’s WKAR

Goldberg’s visit was part of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of environmental journalism at MSU.

Her talk at the WKAR TV studio focused on the power of storytelling and the responsibility journalists have to deliver accurate, meaningful information to the public.

“There is nothing more important than telling accurate, important, timely stories that shine a light into dark corners so problems can be fixed,” Goldberg told the audience.

The annual lecture honors the legacy of Neal Shine, a former publisher and editor of the Detroit Free Press who championed ethical journalism and public service reporting.

Goldberg’s talk, “Storytelling that Matters,” centered on how journalists can better communicate complicated issues such as science and climate change. She outlined principles for effective storytelling, including finding ways to make audiences care, sparking curiosity and focusing on solutions instead of only highlighting problems. Continue reading →

MSU Latinx Film Festival returns with international films, music and conversations

By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

The MSU Latinx Film Festival (LxFF), cosponsored by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, returned Feb. 19 -22 for its fourth edition, bringing international cinema, live music and conversations about immigration, environmental justice and identity to Michigan State University and venues across Lansing.

Attendees watch a film at MSU’s Latinx Film Festival. Credit: Scott Boehm.

Founded in 2018 by Scott Boehm, an assistant professor of 20th and 21st Spanish culture, the festival has grown from six films over four days into the largest Latino, Hispanic and Latin American film festival in Michigan. Nearly all of this year’s films were Michigan premieres, and more than half were Midwest premieres.

Several selections were previously screened at major international festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. Boehm said many of the films had only one or two screenings in the United States before arriving in East Lansing.

“What you’ll find is something you would expect to see in New York or Miami or Houston or San Diego or LA,” Boehm said. “But it’s in Lansing.”

This year’s lineup featured 12 full-length films and shorts from Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Spain and the United States. Topics included immigration, racism, U.S. militarism in Latin America, child sex trafficking, class, ageism and environmental justice.

Environmental justice has become a permanent part of the festival’s programming. Boehm said the climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet and that Indigenous and marginalized communities often feel its effects first. Continue reading →

How journalists can be the scientist their story needs

By Shealyn Paulis

This is the 7th in a series of articles by Knight Center students who attended the annual conference of the National Association of Science Writers.

When journalists and science writers gathered in the windy city of Chicago, a panel offered space for veteran science reporters to share their experiences when their jobs called for a step beyond typical journalistic requirements.

These stories explored when journalists also became scientists, and how these experiences bettered their coverage.

The gathering of those concerned with science’s involvement with journalism comes as the Trump administration leads an unprecedented attack on science throughout its first year in office. This includes redrawn requirements for funding approval and historically large cuts to federal research funding in the name of efficiency.

In 2025, the National Science Foundation showed a 25% reduction in funding compared to the average of the past 10 years.

(Left to Right) Moderator Priyanka Runwal and panellists Patricia Clarembaux and Wendy Ruderman take questions from the SciWri2025 crowd following presentations.

The National Association of Science Writers session was organized and moderated by Priyanka Runwal, associate editor of Chemical & Engineering News. She began by introducing the topic of reporters conducting their own research and data-gathering methods, while emphasizing the crucial timing of the panel.

Runwal explained that as the scientific community faces mounting difficulties imposed by the government, leaving journalists with fewer resources for their reporting.

If journalists gather and analyze their own data, they have the opportunity to not only enhance their coverage, but do some of the work researchers are unable to do during difficult times. Continue reading →

Knight Center co-sponsors two films at upcoming MSU Latinx Film Festival

The first is titled “Karuara, People of the River.” According to the festival’s website: “A vibrant hand-painted animation brings whimsical Karuara spirits to life in Peru’s Amazon. Their mission: maintain the Marañón River’s ecological balance as the Kukama people fight for the river’s legal personhood.”

J-School professor Bruno Takahashi will be presenting the film alongside one of the directors.

The second is called “Through Rocks and Clouds (Raíz).” According to the website: “Feliciano, an 8-year-old alpaca herder, feels euphoric: Peru has a chance to qualify for the World Cup. Meanwhile the pressure of a mining company puts Feliciano’s village at risk and threatens his world and his dreams.”

Both showings are free and will take place Thursday, Feb. 19 in Wells Hall.

For more information about these films and the rest of the festival, visit https://msulatinxfilmfestival.com/