When Knight Center alum Debbie Munson Badini worked at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, she was often frustrated by reports of people dying while enjoying the water or woods, especially when the death could have been prevented with basic safety measures.
“My philosophy is that we need people to engage with nature and the environment if we want them to care about it,” she said. “Empowering citizens to feel confident about their safety while recreating outdoors plays a big part in getting them outside and connected to the world around them.”
Now the 2005 graduate of MSU’s masters in journalism program does just that as the new outreach and education coordinator for the Minnesota DNR’s boating and water safety program in St. Paul.
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Author Archives: Dave Poulson
New documentaries among food communication showcase
MSU student Trish Abalo speaks with a Malawi vendor. Photo Credit: Alyssa Cleland
Faculty and students affiliated with MSU’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism are featuring a multi-media program to explain research and innovations for better feeding the world on Nov. 13.
The event showcases communication elements of the Translational Scholar Corps., a program developed with Michigan State University’s Global Center for Food Systems Innovation. The program explains global food problems and solutions in part by improving researchers’ ability to tell their own story.
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MSU alum and environmental researcher connects with Knight Center
Knight Center students listen live to a Nature reporter interviewing a scientist at the Electric Power Research Institute over the phone. The encounter was arranged by Clay Perry, EPRI’s senior manager of media relations sitting at the far right. Next to him is Eric Bauman, an MSU alum and EPRI’s environmental technical adviser. Standing is Chris Mahoney, the company’s environmental marketing and communication leader. Image: David Poulson
By Amanda Proscia
MSU geography alum Eric Bauman (BA 1972, MA 1976) recently visited the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism to discuss his career in energy and environmental, health and safety planning.
Bauman is an environmental technical adviser for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a nonprofit organization in Palo Alto, California, that researches electric power-related issues.
Spending a large chunk of his childhood in the Michigan outdoors heavily influenced his career path, he said.
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Knight Center doctoral students present water research
Kristen Lynch and Tony Van Witsen discuss their water research with Jinhua Zhao, left, director of MSU’s Environmental Science and Policy Program.
Two Knight Center-affiliated doctoral students in the Media and Information program presented their research at Michigan State University’s recent Environmental Science and Policy Program (ESPP) Research Symposium.
And one received a top score, earning researcher Kristen Lynch a $500 prize.
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