The development of oral and written communication skills is an integral part of EMPOWER. In Spring 2017, nine NRT trainees sat alongside journalism and other STEM graduate students in the class entitled “Multimedia Reporting on Climate Change and Sustainability.” This class explored the principles, practices, and processes of science storytelling, including documentary and journalism, in the context of public understanding. The goal of the course was to create a better understanding of how science and the media work, to teach pertinent skills, and to create a template for better relations between the two professions.

The course was taught by two faculty members in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Prof. Don Torrance, a member of EMPOWER’s Leadership Team, is an Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and producer. Prof. Erica Goode is a science writer for the New York Times.

The final project for the class was to create a multimedia website that featured stories, written and produced by students, about New York State’s ecological and environmental innovations. Check out all of the interesting stories! http://www.scicom2017.org/