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Page 1: Environmental Communication writing, public policy, renewable energy, or environmental journalism. The more you ... is the importance of ignoring titles. When I

Environmental Communication:

What Can You Do with a B.S. in Scientific & Technical Communication

with a Degree Focus of Environmental Science?

CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION P.1

METHODOLOGY P.2

RESULTS P.6

DISCUSSION P.9

CONCLUDING ADVICE

& RECOMMENDATIONS P.10

WORKS CITED P.13

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES P.15

WRIT 3001

Fall 2012

Authored by: Jay Kovach

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INTRODUCTION:

What is the purpose of this report?

The purpose of this report is to explore careers that focus on the environment and

communication. Originally, I had planned to look specifically at where my planned degree in

Scientific and Technical Communication with a focus on Environmental Science and a minor in

Sustainability could take me. This intense specificity was too confining, making the search for

information difficult. Admittedly, the frustration overwhelmed me at first but when I starting

using ‘environmental communication’ as my searchstring, I was overwhelmed by something

new, data. The range of careers and possibilities available to anyone with a mastery of

communication tools and a substantial knowledge base in environmental science is often

limited only by the opportunity-seeker’s imagination. As Kevin Doyle said in an interview, “If

you’re working creatively with the people that matter on something important, you’ll never

have to worry about finding work,” (2003). And “never before has the demand been so high for

environmental science to be brought to the general public,” (Jenny A. & Tom S., 2012).

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METHODOLOGY:

What approach was used to collect information?

I almost always, as in this project, use a process of adaptive, reflective researching. I search the

Internet (e.g. forums, libraries, chat rooms, and other, seemingly-infinite content repositories),

books, periodicals, and any other relevant sources I can find and then make sure that

everything is in hardcopy for ease of access and note taking. I then read everything I have

found, making sure to write down as many of my thoughts that occur as I read the document. I

record reactions, grammar or spelling corrections, edits on format or punctuation, notes on

epiphanies, questions about the facts presented and the person who assembled them, and

whatever else that happens to come to mind. It makes it more interactive and it creates more

connections between data nodes. Once I digest the data I assess whether or not I need more. I

usually do this by establishing the beginnings of a reference page, but not always. I will always

fully assemble and go over my reference page right before I begin drafting as it refreshes all the

research I have done in my mind.

If I needed more information I did another search. I adapt the search parameters and its focus

depending on what I have learned so far. When I started this project, I was focused on the

specific degree requirements that I must meet for my own education but after limited success I

knew I had to change my search criteria. I started focusing on the content of the coursework in

the degree and established a mental catalog of the skills that would be nurtured during the

course of my academic pursuits. The process continued when I saw I still did not have enough

information for the report and had to again adapt my searching technique. I did this several

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times, the absorption of information followed by the refining of the depth, scope, and focus of

my search and then searching again. I examined the careers of alumni of STC and related

degrees, searched through current job postings for those looking for the skill sets the education

provides, read blogs for personal accounts from people who held the applicable positions, and

more. The two words that I used for my last search were ‘environmental communication’ and

it was the most fruitful of all attempts.

What are the benefits and limitations of the research?

I do feel that having a larger number of diverse sources that contain similar data has a

triangulation effect as an indicator on the accuracy and truthfulness of the data, like performing

a laboratory experiment over and over to improve the accuracy of the results. I think that this

is a positive for me. I read and learn about a lot more relevant subject matter than I can put in

a works cited and I often do it daily. Communication and environment are two of my passions.

That being said, I think I should try to better verify my sources, explore different formats for

receiving information, and try to use the Internet as a vehicle for information more instead of

an origin for the information. The greatest limitation of the research was time available to do

it. I am thorough and effective in my research but it is time consuming and requires planning. I

have had to make sacrifices in the quality of my work on this report in order to finish it in a

reasonable time frame. This was due to impairments out of my control that affected my

communication and focus capabilities. The long-term and positive aspect of all this is the

quality information base that I have begun to establish that I can continue building outside of

the classroom.

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Next is Figure 1, a simple comparison of my sources in a table form, and then my analysis of

that table.

Figure 1

SOURCE:

CRITERIA: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

So

urc

e

Educational X X X X X X X

Network X

Government

Organization X X X X X

Commercial X X X X X

Fo

rm

at

Print(able) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Video X

Audio

Re

pu

tatio

n

Good X X X X X

Unknown X X X X X X X X X

Skeptical X In

tern

et

Vehicle of

Retrieval X X

Origin of

Retrieval X X X X X X X X X X X X X

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What is Figure 1 telling me?

I am considering including this as part of all my future research endeavors, or something like it.

It is useful to analyze your data with another perspective. In regards to information sources, I

am happy with the range of sources but I could have included some government ones. I see a

deficit that is a little disconcerting in the areas of formatting and the Internet - these areas

suffer from a major lack of diversity. I feel I should explore other information venues, such as

video or audio, and I should also try and keep my mind open to modalities that I haven’t even

considered. I should also consider separating ‘Print(able)’ into ‘Printed Writing’ and ‘Digital

Writing’. I also feel, in regards to the Internet section, I need to explore the concept of content

generated for the Internet and information distributed via the Internet and the difference that

makes in the quality of my research and the works it produces. The reputation section needs

more reflection and a better breakdown. Maybe it should go ‘Primary -,’ ‘Secondary -,’ ‘Tertiary

- Good Reputation,’ ‘Unknown,’ ‘Skeptical,’ and ‘Highly Suspect.’ If that were the case, almost

all of my sources would be tertiary or better. I am comfortable with that for now and will be

focusing on other areas of research improvement in my next project.

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RESULTS:

What insights about the field of environmental communication were gleaned? What

themes have emerged?

Education is easily the strongest theme present in my research even when the information

source was not of an educational institution. In both communication and environmental issues,

you have to know which skills to develop and your knowledge base should be current and

relevant but, most importantly, you have to know how to be a self-educator. As Dr. Tim Crews

of Prescott College said, “Time and time again, the liberally educated students will stick out and

shine in the work environment because they have invested in developing critical thinking skills

and have learned how to learn,” (as quoted in: Ruhl, 2012). Curiosity in the subject matter and

enjoying the understanding of it go a long way towards not only being successful, but loving

what you do for a career. Having a passion for sharing what you learn is also vital, as is being

able to both inspire that passion in others and encourage their involvement. The University of

Wisconsin – Oshkosh (n.d.) provides a quick, relevant outline of things to consider in order to

be more successful when pursuing your education be it at a college or elsewhere:

So what should I do while I’m in college?

• Major or minor in Environmental Studies to get a broad, interdisciplinary

understanding of environmental issues.

• Also major in a department that challenges you to think critically, do research, write

effectively, and solve practical problems. Consider a double major or minor in

Communication.

• Seek out classes and other opportunities to practice your communication skills.

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• Take particular courses that will help you understand environmental issues. One

example is statistics, which will enable you to make and evaluate statistical

arguments. Another is technical or scientific writing. Also keep in mind that the more

environmental science you know, the better you will be in this field.

• Get as much experience as possible in environmental issues or communication during

summer work, internships, volunteering, writing for the student newspaper, etc.

• Cultivate the skills and qualities [needed to be a successful environmental

communicator.]

Communication, obviously, is an essential component of this field. Always look for

opportunities to practice writing and to optimize that practice by focusing the writing on

environmentally-related topics. When at college, take courses on writing about land issues,

grant writing, public policy, renewable energy, or environmental journalism. The more you

know about your destination the better your choices will be along the way. Do volunteer work

for nonprofits with a shared goal or a goal that you could support, that is related to

environment and/or communication. Avid reading is a communication method greatly

encouraged in the research time and time again. Not only does the act itself add to your

knowledge base but it teaches you vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and so on.

Reading is essential to being a skillful communicator. Carol Ruhl speaks of communication’s

importance when she proposed that, “Today, there is a growing need for eloquent voices (in all

kinds of media) to communicate environmental messages. Informing the public about

environmental issues and what they can do about them is a driving force behind the

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movement. Businesses and non-profit companies need spokespeople, and if you are a strong

communicator with a passion for your issue, this field may be for you,” (2012).

More than just a theme, yet never directly stated, is the importance of ignoring titles. When I

first started this project I thought that I had to match a degree name up with the name of a

specific career. “Biology majors may look forward to becoming Biologists; Environmental

Engineering majors are likely to become Environmental Engineers;” Nursing majors plan to be

Nurses, but what does one do when the degree title is long and complicated like mine? (Ruhl,

2012) You have to get creative, which I have learned, is an important aspect of this field

regardless of the job specifics. As is adaptability. I had to look at the skills my classes would

teach me and what skills I could learn from things I also found to be interesting. I would then

look through jobs that interested me and compared the coursework I was interested in and the

skills they taught to the requirements of the job. What surprised me was how many of the jobs

actually matched. When I started this project I was worried that my educational pursuits would

over-specialize me and that jobs would be harder to find, now however, I see that instead I

have a wide range of options. Every descriptive term I added to my degree title doesn’t narrow

the search it increases its breadth instead – it gives me more options.

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DISCUSSION:

Based on insights learned, how does this research fit with future work plans?

This report has been enlightening, empowering, and reassuring. The things I have discovered

over the course of this project will no doubt help me reach my future plans quicker and with

greater accuracy. It has painted a clearer picture of my destination and if I keep that picture in

mind when making decisions I will arrive there in time. A less abstract lesson would be tabling

my references as I do my research, as I did with this project. Regrettably, I produced Figure 1

towards the end so I wasn’t able to correct what I see as potential deficits in the rounding out

of the information. That itself is a lesson. I plan to follow up with the information that I have

found so far and continue my search for more even after this report is submitted, graded, and

returned.

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CONCLUDING ADVICE & RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Blog & Tweet – use social media to network.

2. Network in the real world too through social and professional groups.

3. Read, read, read! Know your field and be up to speed on what’s current.

4. Have the right attitude. Think in solutions and opportunities. Be adaptive and creative.

5. Make novel and innovative connections.

6. Think globally, act locally.

7. Be surthrivable, learn to thrive on the resources you have instead of just surviving on

them.

8. Proactively focus on what you can do.

9. Don’t polarize issues, always work collaboratively.

10. Paint a picture and tell a story that is free of jargon.

11. Have a vision, share that vision, and let your decisions reflect that vision.

~ My collection of impressions and insights gained over the course of my research,

no direct quotation, if any, intended.

“[G]et practicing and get some experience. In the Twitter-age there’s no reason not to be using

the self-publishing tools available to you. Start a blog, start writing about papers, events,

interesting things you’ve read – whatever enthuses you. Build up a portfolio of writing and you’ll

get better as you do it. And get out and meet people, make contacts, get advice, get some work

experience and talk to others doing the same thing.”

~ Mun-Keat Looi, science writer at the Wellcome Trust, (Yong, 2010).

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“I would recommend: an internship, keep your curiosity, keep learning all the time, keep improving

your writing skills, write about topics that you are interested in, be persistent, and believe in

yourself.”

~ Emilie Lorditch, (Yong, 2010).

“What’s your advice to young people with regard to getting an environmental education that

will prepare them for the work force?

1. Don’t be afraid of science and technology. Regardless of what path you take, whether you

want to be a journalist, lawyer, eco-tourism guide, lobbyist, marine biologist or whatever, you will

need it. Science and technology is crucial to effective environmental work.

2. Don’t focus too narrowly on the professional field that you want to enter. Focus on the

results that you want to achieve in the world. In other words, if your goal is to help affect a

decrease in global pollutants, or to work for social and environmental justice, then this is what you

need to keep in mind when you approach your education. Let your ultimate goals guide you to

your educational needs, instead of the other way around. Don’t ask, for instance, “what can I do

with a geography degree?”. Instead ask, “Is a geography degree a good preparation for what I

want to do?”

3. The best new environmental professionals will combine complementary fields and degrees.

For example, someone with a bachelors degree in environmental engineering and a masters in

business administration; or a BS in biology with a law degree (JD); or a person with a joint masters

in environmental science and public administration. These complementary educational paths

dramatically increase people’s employability, as well as their ability to make a difference in the

world. The only place this would not be true would be in highly technical fields that are in demand

unto themselves – for example, sophisticated remote sensing systems.

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4. Don’t steer clear of politics. The argument for sustainability seems so self-evident to many

of us that we sometimes wish it could be imposed from on high through strategic plans, cadres of

professionals, and rigorous codes. That’s not how this country works. Just as non-technical people

need to embrace the requirements of science and engineering types, so the consistently logical

need to allow for emotion, special interests, grassroots organizing, negotiation, compromise and,

well, democracy!

Closing Comment

View environmental work as a long-term career, and don’t be waylaid from your ultimate

career goals either by early job search difficulties or by early job successes. It may be just as easy

to be pulled away from your goals by “golden handcuffs” as by unemployment.

More than anything – build and maintain your network with other creative people who are

doing the work that you want to do. In times of trouble, your network of friends and colleagues

will help you out more than anything else – and in the good times, you’ll have more fun!”

~ Kevin Doyle, National Director of Programs for the Environmental Careers

Organization (EnvironmentalPrograms.net, 2003)

“Sustainability is not merely in the output. For every finished green product, there are

hundreds of processes behind the production, packaging, distribution, and marketing of that

product… …This is the space the space that screams for green innovations.

IT and consulting services professionals can tap into tremendous opportunities by addressing

the challenges that sustainability presents to various industries. Documentation and transparency

are key aspects… …In fact, discourse over environmental IT solutions has reached a critical mass,

warranting its own news site, produced by GreenBiz, GreenerComputing.com.”

~ Anna Clark, President of EarthPeople (2007).

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WORKS CITED:

1. A., J. & S., T., Writing Center Tutors. (2012). Writing in Environmental Science. Retrieved on

Nov. 11, 2012 from: condor.depaul.edu/writing/writers/Types_of_Writing/envsci.html

2. American Chemical Society. (2012). Science Writers. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2012 from:

http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAI

N&node_id=1188&content_id=CTP_003402&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1&__uui

d=399abe98-f45b-4362-a587-fcdd3982de48

3. CASW or the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. A Guide to Careers in Science

Writing. Retrieved on Nov. 11, 2012 from: www.casw.org/casw/guide-careers-science-

writing

4. Clark, A. (May 01, 2007). Applied Sustainability: Finding Your Niche. Retrieved Oct. 02, 2012

from:

http://www.kleanindustries.com/s/PressReleases.asp?ReportID=192075&_Title=Applie

d-Sustainability-Finding-Your-Niche

5. EnvironmentalPrograms.net. (2003). Interview with Kevin Doyle: Trends in Environmental

Jobs & Employment. Retrieved Nov. 25, 2012 from:

http://enviroeducation.com/resources/interview-with-kevin-doyle-trends-in-

environmental-jobs-and-employment

6. Lehigh University. (2010). Where are our alumni? Retrieved Nov. 15, 2012 from:

cas.lehigh.edu/CASWeb/default.aspx?id=1013

7. Lehigh University. (2010). Science & Environmental Writing Program. Retrieved on Nov. 11,

2012 from: cas.lehigh.edu/casweb/default.aspx?id=465

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8. Marshall, M. (2012, June). Melissa Marshall: Talk nerdy to me [Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.ted.com/talks/melissa_marshall_talk_nerdy_to_me.html

9. Ruhl, C. (2012). Pursuing a Degree in Environmental Studies: Where Will It Lead? Retrieved

on Nov. 23, 2012 from: http://enviroeducation.com/resources/pursuing-a-degree-in-

environmental-studies-where-will-it-lead

10. Samson Jr., D. C. (2001). Writing about Science for General Audiences. Notes from 48th

International STC Conference. 112-116.

11. University of Minnesota Department of Writing Studies. (Nov. 12, 2012). Alumni : Writing

Studies : University of Minnesota. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2012 from:

writingstudies.umn.edu/people/alumni.html

12. University of Montana, & Spectral Fusion Designs. (2011). Other Alumni Information.

Retrieved Nov. 15, 2012 from: cas.umt.edu/evst/alumni/other_alumni.cfm

13. University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. (n.d.). Environmental Communnication. Retrieved on

Nov. 22, 2012 from: http://www.uwosh.edu/es/jobs/uwo-created-web-

pages/communication

14. Wikipedia. (Oct. 02, 2012). Environmental communication. Retrieved on Nov. 22, 2012

from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_communication

15. Yong, E. (July 29, 2010, most recent post of non-author: Nov. 11, 2012). On the Origin of

Science Writers. Not Exactly Rocket Science, Discover Magazine Blog. Retrieved on Nov.

22, 2012 from: blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/07/29/on-the-

origin-of-science-writers/

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Schools:

http://dsc.journalism.wisc.edu/index.html

Articles:

http://enviroeducation.com/resources/

Jobs:

http://mnyen.wordpress.com/resources/internships-and-job-resources/

http://www.minnesotanonprofits.org/jobs

http://www.environmentalcomm.org/jobs

http://environmentaljobs.com/

http://www.eco.ca/

http://environmentalcareers.com.au/