What was your first job as a journalist?
My first journalism gig was as an environmental reporter with the Great Lakes Echo in 2021 as a fresh journalism student at Michigan State University. I knew I had a passion for science communication so I took the leap on the opportunity with only a few writing samples to show. Somehow my editor, Dave Poulson, had enough grace to take a chance on me and helped me hone my skills. Fast forward three years and several other journalism jobs and I’m currently back at the Echo.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. I have major respect for writers of the past - typing must not have been for the faint-hearted.
How is social media changing news?
In the information age, journalists must step into an expert role in news-sharing. With the addition of hundreds of new ways to consume information, the public must make decisions about which sources to trust and consume. When journalism is poorly done, truth may be misrepresented or covered up and this opens up windows of questioning among consumers. Do some news sources have a greater loyalty to truth and accuracy? How can consumers know what is true when there are so many sources of information? Journalists must be well-trained in communication and people skills in order to gain the trust of readership. This is especially important for environmental, science and health reporting where facts are just that - facts. There should be no debate over the verity of observed patterns and experiences within the world. Delivering facts and complex socio-ecological concepts requires tact and accuracy in order for the public to trust the authority of good journalism as information sources.
