Category Archives: David Poulson

David Poulson is the senior associate director of Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.

Students study use of unmanned aircraft; study applications to reporting on the environment

By David Poulson
Michigan State University environmental journalism students recently observed a practice flight of an unmanned aircraft over a university farm field.
Researchers are preparing to use the craft to analyze the health of grass for a turf management company. The project is undertaken by the university’s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems program.
The journalism students are studying the applications of such craft – popularly known as drones – and how they can be used to cover environmental news stories.
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Robert Goodwin, the unmanned aerial systems project manager for MSU's Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems program, explains a training flight to journalism students.

Robert Goodwin, the unmanned aerial systems project manager for MSU’s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems program, explains a training flight to journalism students. Image: David Poulson


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Chasing clouds

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By David Poulson
In 1673, fur trader Louis Joliet and the Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette spotted coal outcroppings along the Illinois River.
That’s the first recorded coal find in the U.S.
And it’s an indication of just how deep the roots of conflict run in Closing the Cloud Factories: Lessons from the fight to shut down Chicago’s coal plants.
The book picks up on other historical gems such as how turning the midway of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair into the “City of Lights” helped determine how the rest of the nation would be electrified. And we are introduced to Samuel Insull, a former assistant to Thomas Edison. His shrewd capture of the demand for electricity by street car companies fueled the growth of Chicago’s power grid.
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What would Lou do? Searching for ethical guidelines in a changed media landscape

David Poulson

David Poulson


By David Poulson
Many reporters of my generation went into journalism because of the Watergate scandal.
Holding public officials accountable – public service journalism – was the attraction then. So, too, were Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in All the president’s men, the movie version of that story.
Me? I was more of a Lou Grant kind of guy. Ed Asner isn’t as pretty as Redford nor as cool as Hoffman. But the crusty fictional city editor he played on the television show couldn’t be beat for advancing the nobler aspects of the profession.

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