Life Sciences Commons^™

Farming For Nebraska's Future: Regenerative Agriculture In The Cornhusker State, Megan Buffington

Honors Theses

This reporting project started, as many do, with questions: Who is practicing sustainable agriculture in Nebraska? Why? What is stopping others from doing the same? And what even is sustainable agriculture?

Over the course of this project, I spoke with farmers, ranchers and academics, eventually learning that regenerative agriculture is the more widely used term, and there are a wide swath of systemic barriers preventing more producers from adopting it. But for those who do take the leap, the unconventional method leads to personal and financial well-being traditional agriculture never provided. The final project is made up of three articles …

Characteristics And Motivational Factors Of American Equine Journalists, Zoe B. Bowden, Ricky W. Telg, Lisa K. Lundy

Journal of Applied Communications

The purpose of this study was to identify the demographic characteristics, career motivations, and professional development of American equine journalists. An online survey was distributed to equine journalists identified through their professional organizational membership. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Equine journalists were found to be predominately female, Caucasian, and averaged 53 years old. Nearly half were exposed to the equine industry prior to their career and have been working in the industry for over 15 years. Respondents were well educated and were most motivated towards their career as an equine journalist because of their interest in horses. …

Unleaded: Montana’S Silent Epidemic, Erica Zurek

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Lead is a cumulative toxin that can affect multiple systems in the human body. Exposure occurs through various sources, such as outdated and deteriorating infrastructure, paint, soil and drinking water. This project, a three-part audio series on lead exposure in Montana highlights various paths of exposure and how young children under age six years of age are particularly vulnerable. Part one is a story about a new state requirement to test all k-12 schools for lead in water fixtures. Part two: A house remodel exposes a family’s children to lead. Getting a diagnosis wasn’t easy. Part three: A look at …

The Intersection Of Past And Present, Hannah Welzbacker

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Science often faces a crossroad between the past and present. Ever changing technology allows us to make new discoveries while at the same time, elements from past cultures need preserving. The three stories in this portfolio all highlight the intersection of past and present and how they can coexist. The first story focuses on a technological breakthrough that allows local researchers to better understand nocturnal migrations using acoustic monitoring. The second story explains the controversial Mayan Train project moving through South America and the implications for the economy, environment and culture. The final piece captures how members of the Blackfeet …

Narrative Storytelling In Conjunction With Environmental Journalism, Abbey Edmonson

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the effectiveness of long-form narrative storytelling in relation to environmental journalism. It particularly focuses on effectively communicating the seriousness of climate change on a local level through narrative storytelling. The bulk of the information was gathered through multiple interviews with people experiencing the effects of climate change on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. By using interviews with local people interspersed with scientific data, I hope to be able to show the average reader that climate change is real and it can dangerously affect people on a local level, even in rural states like Mississippi.

Through my research, I …

The Perceptions Of Professionals, Faculty, And Students Regarding The Implementation Of An Agricultural Communications Degree Program In The United Kingdom, Abigail Taylor

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of professionals, faculty, and students regarding the implementation of an agricultural communications degree program in the United Kingdom. It aimed to gather detailed opinions to aid in the planning of future agricultural communications disciplines. This study used a qualitative approach in the form of interviews. Interviews were designed to gain in-depth opinions on four different research objectives. Subjects were pooled from three different subject groups: Professionals, faculty, and students. Subjects expressed that writing and journalistic skills were extremely important for agricultural communications graduates to possess. Interpersonal skills were also useful. …

Safely Through The Gate: Exploring Media Coverage And Journalists Decisions On The Flow Of Farm Safety Stories, Rebecca Swenson, Brandon Roiger, Alexis Murillo

Journal of Applied Communications

Agriculture continues to rank as one of the most dangerous industries in the nation. Media coverage is an important tool for sharing farm safety information, improving knowledge and changing behaviors. Despite this importance, surprisingly little research has focused on agricultural media coverage and the forces that influence journalists’ decisions about when and how to cover safety stories. This study uses content analysis methods to examine the nature of farm safety issues, accidents, and topics that appear in mainstream news, agricultural media, and blogs. Researchers also interviewed journalists and bloggers to better understand their motivations, barriers, and information needs when covering …

Minerva 2016, The Honors College

Minerva

This issue of Minerva includes the article "Dear Bill and Betsy," documenting student gratitude for generous Honors donors Bill and Betsy Leitch; an interview with former professor and Honors Preceptor, Walter Macdougall; and an article on Honors student Emily Illingworth and her experiences in Honors. Other highlights include an article on distinguished Honors graduates Mark Pettegrow and Mark Haskell; and an article on the 2016 election as covered by UMaine Journalism students.

Sports Broadcasting News Analysis [Career Paper], Jefferson Sanders

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Alfred Russel Wallace, Journalist, Charles H. Smith

DLPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Alfred Russel Wallace, Journalist, Charles H. Smith

Charles H. Smith

No abstract provided.

Alfred Russel Wallace, Journalist, Charles H. Smith

Charles Kay Smith

No abstract provided.