June 26, 2017 — This year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors conference in Phoenix, June 22-25, featured a sizable contingent of SEJ members, including three panels with environmental themes and another successful SEJ meet-up to introduce our organization to journalists who don’t yet know about us.
Lisa Song, Pulitzer-prize winning SEJ member now with ProPublica, spoke on the panel “Find environmental violators in your community, before the regulations disappear.” SEJ member Scott Fallon of the Bergen Record and Sandra Chapman, Peabody-award winning reporter for WTHR Indianapolis, were also on the panel that drew a large crowd.
SEJ member Beth Daley, now with InsideClimate, spoke on “Explosions, leaks and toxic clouds: How to cover hazardous materials in your area.” Matt Dempsey of the Houston Chronicle and Joshua Schneyer of Reuters were also on Daley’s well-attended panel.
Former SEJ President Christy George moderated the official Society of Environmental Journalists’ panel “Changing climate, changing weather” with fellow SEJ members Tony Davis and Jeff Burnside, also a former SEJ President.
On the final evening of the conference, Burnside and George hosted an SEJ meet-up, an annual event at IRE, so SEJ members can meet with other journalists interested in joining SEJ and learn more about covering environmental issues. About 50 joined the successful meet up.
SEJ was born from IRE 26 years ago. Each year, IRE conference organizers allow SEJ to have a strong presence.
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