GREAT LAKES JOURNALISTS INVITED TO APPLY FOR FREE CLIMATE CHANGE SEMINAR IN CHICAGO
September 19th seminar held in partnership with WBEZ Chicago includes travel/lodging assistance and is designed to provide journalists with story ideas and a better understanding of water quality and other climate change issues affecting regional audiences
When harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie threatened the water supply of thousands of residents, reporters swung into action with a mandate to get the facts and inform their news audiences as quickly as possible. How prepared are you to discern fact from opinion and deliver strong stories about climate change impacts that resonate with your audience? The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting, a global leader in science training for journalists, has partnered with WBEZ Chicago to develop a climate change seminar for journalists covering the Great Lakes on September 19, 2014, at WBEZ’s newsroom on Chicago’s Navy Pier.
Seminar Offered at No Cost to Journalists
The seminar is underwritten by The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and is offered at no cost to participating journalists. Part of Metcalf Institute’s Climate Change and the News series, this one-day seminar is designed to help reporters and editors better understand climate change science and impacts in the Great Lakes; provide expert contacts and resources; and inspire new story ideas to facilitate news coverage of regional climate change impacts.
The climate change seminar will explore:
- The physical basis for climate change science
- Effects of climate change on water quality and supply in the Great Lakes region
- Relationships between climate change and extreme weather events
- Impacts of climate change upon Great Lakes fisheries, forests, and agriculture
- Public health challenges raised by climate change
- How climate change is driving policy and economic decisions in the region
Application Process & Travel/Lodging Assistance
Full-time journalists working in all media in the Great Lakes states must apply for the seminar via the Metcalf Institute website by August 18, 2014. A limited number of confirmed participants who must travel a significant distance to attend the seminar will be eligible to receive a reimbursement of up to US$250 to support travel and/or lodging expenses. Metcalf Institute has reserved a block of double-occupancy rooms in hotel close to the seminar venue to provide a significantly discounted lodging option for participating journalists.
About Metcalf Institute
Metcalf Institute is an internationally recognized leader in providing environmental science training for journalists. The Institute also offers communication workshops for scientists, science resources for journalists and free public lectures on environmental topics. Metcalf Institute was established at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography in 1997 with funding from three media foundations: the Belo Corporation, the Providence Journal Charitable Foundation and the Philip L. Graham Fund, with additional support from the Telaka Foundation. Metcalf programming is underwritten by federal and foundation grants, as well as private donations managed by the University of Rhode Island Foundation.
About WBEZ Chicago
WBEZ is operated by Chicago Public Media an institution that creates award-winning content for people seeking to learn more about the issues and ideas that affect our community, our nation and our world. Chicago Public Media produces programs such as This American Life, Sound Opinions, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! (a co-production with NPR), The Morning Shift, The Afternoon Shift, Worldview and Radio M. In addition to WBEZ 91.5 FM, Chicago Public Media also operates Vocalo 89.5 FM and 90.7 FM, a next generation service that seeks to expand the reach of public media. For more information, visit WBEZ.org
Contact:
Karen Southern, Director of Communications
Metcalf Institute
University of Rhode Island
Graduate School of Oceanography
218 South Ferry Road
Narragansett, RI 02882
401-874-6009
401- 874-6486 fax
karen_southern@mail.uri.edu
www.metcalfinstitute.org