Fellows at Work: Wild Rice, Data Centers, Fens and More
Fellows & Grantees at Work
Wild Rice Faces Numerous Threats—and Has Determined Protectors Susan Cosier, Inside Climate News (2023 Traditional Ecological Knowledge Workshop)
Conservationists appeal Trump admin’s plan to evict bison from Montana public land - Roque Planas, Chris D’Angelo, Montana Free Press (2025 Crown of the Continent Institute; 2019 Wildfire Workshop)
We mapped rural data center development — and opposition. Here’s what we found Julia Tilton, Sarah Melotte, The Daily Yonder (2026 Great Lakes Data Center Workshop; 2023 Reporting Grant Recipient)
The ‘time-consuming’ permits dozens of data centers are skipping Miranda Willson, POLITICO (2026 Great Lakes Data Center Workshop)
Bears Ears cuts also end first-of-its-kind tribal land commission Anna V. Smith, High Country News (2019 Bristol Bay Institute)
The Art of Leaping Out of Planes to Fight Wildfires M.R. O’Connor, The New Yorker (2024 Land Back Workshop)
I used to ignore prediction markets. Then I learned people were betting on wildfires Kylie Mohr, High Country News (2023 Wildfire Policy, Politics & Science Workshop)
Ontario wildfires 'not controllable.' Neither is the smoke, experts say Carol Thompson, The Detroit News (2024 Great Lakes Energy Workshop)
Anger Over Data Centers Is Fueling a New Political Movement Ariel Wittenberg, POLITICO (2020 Environmental Racism Workshop)
These are some of the last pristine ocean ecosystems. Now, they're losing protectionsLauren Sommer, NPR (2017 Upper Colorado River Workshop)
A Fatal Forecast: Three Part Series Alan Halaly, The Las Vegas Review-Journal (2024 Critical Minerals Institute)
In Arctic Alaska, 1.4 million acres of federal land is shifting to state hands Sarah Gilman, High Country News (2017 Great Bear Institute)
What's the Matter With Utah? Christopher Solomon, RE:PUBLIC (2002 Southern Cascadia Institute)
Why this tribe is buying up hundreds of acres of farmland — and flooding it John Ryan, NPR (2019 Bristol Bay Workshop)
Readjusting Traditional Plant Knowledge Lyric Aquino, photos by Jarrette Werk Underscore Native News (2023 Klamath River Workshop)
The Forest Service wants to close research hubs to save money. That could be costly Chiara Eisner, NPR (2023 Guerry Beam Award grantee)
Collapsing mountains in Alaska are causing massive tsunamis Tim Lydon, High Country News (2022 Ocean + Climate in Alaska Workshop)
Native-led tours on the rise, including whale watching out of Seattle Isabella Breda, The Seattle Times (2023 Klamath River Institute)
Port Washington resident speaks out after selling home to data center project Trisha Young, Wisconsin Watch (2026 Great Lakes Data Center Workshop)
A looming disaster threatens to drown one of Canada's northernmost communities Jimmy Thomson, Canada’s National Observer (2024 IPCA grantee)
Japan killed 14,000 bears after a rise in deadly attacks on people – but will it work? Gloria Dickie, The Guardian (2017 Great Bear Institute)
How Did The Nepal-Tibet Floods Become This Deadly? Tanka Dhakal, The Xylom (2026 Community Reporting Fellow)
Mexico will share Colorado River shortage with Arizona, other states Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic (2018 Lower Colorado River Institute)
What’s a fen? This rare wetland is why southeastern Minnesota can’t endlessly pump groundwater Claire Carlson, MinnPost (2025 Crown of the Continent Institute)
Could desalination help offset Arizona's Colorado River water cuts? Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic (2024 Critical Minerals Institute)
Opportunities, Announcements & Accolades
The New York Times is hiring an audience editor for climate and science.
The Open Notebook is accepting applications for its early-career fellowship program.
Inside Climate News is hiring a senior editor.
The Pulitzer Center is accepting proposals for its work/environment reporting grants.
Jefferson Public Radio is hiring a regional environmental reporter.
The New York Times is accepting applications for its local investigative journalism fellowship.
The Houston Chronicle is hiring an energy and data center reporter.
The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water desk invites newsrooms to join its collaborative through Report for America.
The Bill Lane Center for the American West is accepting applications for it media fellowships.
The World Conference of Science Journalists is accepting applications for travel fellowships.
SciLine is hiring a journalism support correspondent.
Newswell is hiring a climate, science and environment reporter to work at the Santa Barbara News-Press.
Sentient is hiring a food and farming storytelling fund program manager.
Floodlight is hiring an operations and development director.
Science News is hiring a social media producer.
Congratulations to the many IJNR alumni and grantees who received Indigenous Media Awards, including Lyric Aquino, Odette Auger, Nika Bartoo-Smith, Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Pauly Denetclaw, Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood, Cara McKenna, Brandi Morin, Dionne Phillips, Gabriel Pietrorazio, Kaleb Roedel, Amy Romer, and Murphy Woodhouse.
Congratulations to the IJNR alumni who won 2026 Covering Climate Now awards, including Lois Parshley, Clare Fieseler, Megan Gannon, Nina Elkadi, Caroline Gutman, and Seth Borenstein.
Congratulations to IJNR alum Joan Meiners for winning the 2026 Aldo Leopold Conservation Media Champion of the Year from the Arizona Wildlife Federation.
Congratulations to IJNR alum Alex Ip (The Xylom) for winning the 2026 Online Journalism Awards for Excellence in Science Reporting (for a story that grew out of an IJNR program!), and to alumni Tristan Baurick and Halle Parker (Verite News) for being named finalists.
Jenae Barnes (current Community Reporting Fellow) was awarded an IJNR rapid response grant to report on the impacts of the derecho that hit Gary, Indiana. Read her resulting story in The Atlantic.
IJNR was saddened to learn of the passing of James Bruggers, an IJNR alum and a luminary in the field of environmental journalism.