Reports on Environmental Science
Justin Nobel, class of 2003 | BS in Earth and Ocean Sciences | Journalist for The Point Reyes Light, West Marin County, California
"My goal at Duke was to take classes where I could see different places, and it was Earth and Ocean Sciences that took me to the most varied and interesting places."
After studying climate change with Nicholas School Professor Paul Baker in the mountains of Bolivia and Peru, and the effects of off-road vehicles on endangered plants in the California desert with the Bureau of Land Management, Justin Nobel decided he’d like to write about the work environmental researchers are doing around the world. To complement the science he had learned at Duke with enhanced journalism skills, he enrolled in a dual master's degree program at Columbia University in earth and environmental science journalism. He spent a summer studying avian diversity in a United Nations' millennium development village in western Kenya before entering what he called Columbia’s "boot camp for journalism."
Justin graduated from Columbia in May 2007 and landed an internship at the Point Reyes Light, a small weekly newspaper covering western Marin County, north of San Francisco. He reports on environmental issues in the region, which includes a national seashore and many environmentally progressive ranchers and residents.
While at Duke, Justin says his goal was to take as many field trip classes as he could. His travels took him all over the country, and the world. He explored the California desert with a geomorphology class; studied conservation, geology and hydrology at Yellowstone; and visited the San Andreas Fault. He spent a semester at the Duke Marine Lab on the North Carolina coast, and took classes near the Barrier Reefs in Australia. And right after graduation, he headed to Bolivia and Peru with Professor Baker.
These days, Justin still keeps in touch with Baker and several other Nicholas School professors, who help him keep track of the latest science. And since Duke’s earth and ocean scientists are very well known in their field, the reporter can often use a shared acquaintanceship as a conversation starter with his interview subjects.
The semester he spent at the Duke Marine Lab was such a fantastic experience that Justin recommends that every Duke undergraduate—whether majoring in the environment or not—spend a semester there.
"The Marine Lab had been a big draw for me to come to Duke. I loved that it was such a small program, and you’re literally living on your own island, near beautiful beaches and quaint southern towns. You get to know the professors really well, and you get to take a lot of field trips. It was an amazing experience."
Of course, a semester at the Marine Lab might be enough for other students to get hooked on the environment like Justin did.
"For gaining unique experiences, an environmental major can’t be beat. You have a lot of opportunities to see interesting places with interesting people, form relationships with great teachers, and travel the U.S. and the world."
