The Knight Center for Environmental Journalism has selected three 2016 documentary-making projects for $3,500 grants to MSU faculty-student teams.
These are the winning proposals:

• “Vaults of Heaven: Competing in the EPA RainWorks Challenge” The film will document how an MSU student planning and design team created its entry for the 2015 EPA Campus RainWorks Challenge, using the new MSU Medical Campus in Grand Rapids. Faculty: Jon Burley, School of Planning, Design & Construction. Students: Na Li and Xumei Wang, School of Planning, Design & Construction.
• “Food Stories Project: Crafting of Ricing Moccasins.” Wild rice (manoomin) is sacred to the Anishinabek, and the animation project will document the traditional making of wild ricing moccasins. Faculty: Serena Carpenter, School of Journalism. Student: Sage Miller, Department of Media & Information. Consultant Barbara Barton.
• “Living at the Edge of Climate Change: Lessons from Tanzanians Who Are Coping.” The documentary will tell stories of how people in Tanzania are coping with the leading edge of climate change and how farmers and herders are adapting to a new reality. Sue Carter, School of Journalism, and Jennifer Olsen, Department of Media & Information. Student: John Lavaccare, School of Journalism. Editor: Kirk Mason, alum.

In addition to public dissemination of the projects, the Knight Center will be able to use them on its website and for presentation in classes, workshops and other center activities.
This is the second year of the center’s campuswide grant competition. The proposals were selected after a university-wide open competition.