UCD Earth Institute’s 2024 journalists in residence
Until 2024, UCD had never had a journalist in residence. Now, just seven months later, it has welcomed three working journalists, as part of the inaugural Earth Institute journalist in residence scheme.
The first three resident journalists are freelance science journalists and communicator Claire O’Connell; Lauren Boland, The Journal reporter with a focus on climate; and freelance food journalist Janine Kennedy, as part of an innovative new initiative to provide early career and established journalists with the opportunity to work directly with environmental, climate and sustainability researchers in UCD.
We asked each of them about their experience.
Dr Claire O’Connell, contributor to The Irish Times
Why did you apply for the residency?
I was excited by the prospect of having time to explore the work being done across many disciplines in UCD Earth Institute. So often as a journalist you speak to a researcher about a specific aspect of their work for a specific article you are writing. I figured the residency would give me time and space to get broader perspectives on the research, and to find new insights that I might not otherwise have done.
Did you set out with a particular goal to direct your work?
My interest was in interfaces, which is where interesting things happen. That might be the interface between two different academic disciplines - like archaeology and food science - or the interactions between humans and other species, or even between microbes and plants in the soil. These boundaries and interactions are fascinating and often crucial to our understanding of the world.
What have you done, broadly, in the residency to date?
I have had a lot of coffee and chats with people. Some of those chats were planned, others were more spontaneous - I encouraged people to say hi if they saw me around campus and we could organise a time to meet. These conversations are already informing several newspaper articles and also a potentially a deeper writing project for the future. I also worked with various groups of researchers at UCD Earth Institute to help support them in their communication.
What has stood out to you from your time with the Earth Institute?
The level of collegiality, and how having a common interest can bring different minds together. I have also felt highly supported and involved and welcome.
What kind of impact do you think the residency will have on your future work?
Deep and lasting. Getting the chance to spend time in this multi-disciplinary environment has both broadened and deepened my understanding of sustainability and ecosystem and climate issues and solutions, and this will inform and enrich my future work.
Lauren Boland, reporter with TheJournal.ie
Why did you apply for the residency?
Often in journalism we're working o projects with tight turnarounds. I applied for the residency because looked like a really interesting opportunity to be given some time and space and access to researchers working in the area of climate and environment, to learn more about what they are doing and and to have the dedicated time and resources to work on a project of my own.
Did you set out with a particular goal to direct your work?
The project that I'm doing is going to be through the medium of a podcast looking broadly at the theme of climate anxiety, climate guilt, how people respond emotionally to climate change, and also where responsibility or ownership is or isn't being taken for climate change and climate action at national, international or sectoral levels.
What have you done, broadly, in the residency to date?
So far, I have spent two weeks in person on the UCD campus. During those two weeks, I spent the majority of my time at meeting with researchers, which was a brilliant way to connect with people and hear about the different types of research that are happening in UCD around topics related to climate and the environment. Some of this research will be really useful for the project that I'm working on currently, and other research is sparking ideas for future articles. I am building up a sense of who has expertise in which areas where there might be opportunities for us to connect again in the future. On particular topics, I also attended lots of events while I was at UCD Earth Institute, and I did some behind-the-scenes work on the podcast project.
What has stood out to you from your time with the Earth Institute?
What stood out was the vastness and variety of the research work that's being conducted, and the level of specialisation and nuance that comes in with a lot of people's area of research. I heard about some of the really interesting work that's happening in Ireland that a lay person might not necessarily know about, the scientific research that goes really deep into the nooks and crannies of very specific climate issues. At first glance it could seem hyper-specific, but this research can have really important implications for climate change as a whole, or for Ireland's response to climate change.
What kind of impact do you think the residency will have on your future work?
It has been a really useful tool to develop connections with researchers, to better understand the kind of work that's happening in different areas, to be able to introduce myself to researchers, and it means they hopefully now will find it easier to get in touch with me and, particularly for the early-career researchers, more generally feel more comfortable speaking with journalists.
Janine Kennedy, food journalist and contributor to The Irish Farmers Journal and Irish Country Living
Why did you apply for the residency?
The Earth Institute Journalist in Residence programme looked like a great opportunity to collaborate with climate researchers and expand on my work as a food and agricultural journalist. I had just recently gone back to freelance journalism from a permanent, full-time role when I saw the residency announced, so the timing worked out for me, as well. It has been a very long time since I have spent any amount of time on a university campus, but I recall my own university experience very fondly and have always had a soft spot for academia.
Did you set out with a particular goal to direct your work?
I love a good food story and Ireland has such a storied history when it comes to food, politics, climate and colonialism. I want to tell the story of Irish food and agriculture from the perspective of researchers, food producers, farmers and other journalists, so I came into this residency with that very plan.
What have you done, broadly, in the residency to date?
There is much planning to be done before I begin my project, and so I am still very much in the planning stages of my residency.
What has stood out to you from your time with the Earth Institute?
The spirit of collaboration among Earth Institute members is really refreshing. Working in the world of agricultural journalism you tend to see a lot of polarisation between climate activists and farmers, but in my experience the two groups have a lot in common and have very similar goals for the future. I love seeing the different areas of research coming together because it provides a lot of much-needed context to the extremely complex issues surrounding food production in the face of the climate crisis.
What kind of impact do you think the residency will have on your future work?
My work will likely be profoundly affected by this residency through engaging with ongoing research here at UCD. I really hope it will benefit the wider farming and food-producing community, as well.
Further information
The goal of the Earth Institute journalist in residence initative is to strengthen the communication between journalists and researchers; to offer journalists the opportunity to learn more about Institute’s strategic projects, research themes, and members’ research areas especially interdisciplinary research; to encourage Earth Institute members and UCD researchers to learn more about public communication of their research; and to support high-quality journalism around environmental research. The role is open to journalists, staff or freelance, active in any media format: print, radio, television, blog, podcast etc.
For further information see our journalist in residence page or email earth.institute@ucd.ie.
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