Author Archives: Dave Poulson

Paid journalism jobs for MSU students

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The Knight Center for Environmental Journalism is looking for MSU students to report for the center’s award-winning Great Lakes Echo and for The Food Fix.
These are paid positions for reporting across a variety of platforms. Reporters work up to 20 hours a week on flexible shifts. They are based at 381 Communication Arts and Sciences.
Required: A commitment to accuracy, reliability, fairness and desire to learn.
Helpful but not required: previously published work and an interest in the environment.
Submit:

  • One-page resume
  • Writing samples or links to them
  • A 100-word essay explaining why you’re right for the job
  • Three references with contact information

Send to: Barb Miller, mille384@msu.edu. Put “KC job application” in the subject line.
Questions? Contact Knight Center Senior Associate Director David Poulson, 517 432 5417, poulsondavid@gmail.com

Scientists, window-washers and gender

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By David Poulson
I was a bit surprised this week to get a press release from the University of Michigan titled, “Female scientists to sample plastics in all five Great Lakes.”
Here’s the lede:
“ANN ARBOR—Female scientists from the U.S. and Canada will set sail Aug. 20 on all five Great Lakes and connecting waterways to sample plastic debris pollution and to raise public awareness about the issue.”
 Microplastics pollution in the Great Lakes is an important story. It’s one that we’ve often covered on the Knight Center’s environmental news service.
And this certainly seems like a story:
“Teams of researchers will collect plastic debris on the five Great Lakes, as well Lake St. Clair-Detroit River and the Saint Lawrence River. Data collected will contribute to growing open-source databases documenting plastic and toxic pollution and their impacts on biodiversity and waterway health, according to event organizers.”
But isn’t it the substance of the endeavor that’s newsworthy – rather than the gender of those implementing it?

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Is there poetry in climate change?

David Poulson

David Poulson


Some of what I do at MSU’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism involves helping researchers better communicate their work directly to the public and to decision makers.
Much of that consists of pointing out altruistic and selfish reasons to do so. And then I  follow up with tips and techniques and a general admonition to practice, practice, practice.
Many researchers share the same problems – a tendency toward jargon, burying the lede, too many words and a lack of focus. Continue reading →

Knight Center faculty, students present research at Japan conference

Bruno Takahashi, awards a top student paper award.

Bruno Takahashi, awards a top student paper award.


Faculty and doctoral students affiliated with the Knight Center presented environmental research recently at the International Communication Association’s (ICA) 66th Annual Conference in Fukuoka, Japan.
The theme of the June 9-13 conference was “Communicating with Power.”
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