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The Hitchcock Project
@hitchcockproject.bsky.social
The Hitchcock Project provides training for University of Nevada, Reno students interested in science journalism and other types of #SciComm. https://hitchcockproject.org/
Amid Costa Rica’s lush banana fields, powerful pesticides banned in the EU are still sprayed on fruit shipped around the world. 🍌 These chemicals protect crops but leave workers, researchers, insects, birds, and entire ecosystems at risk.
By Beatrice Bashibyukyan
hitchcockproject.org/video-a-frui...
Video: A Fruitful Burden | The Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science
In the banana plantations of Costa Rica, endocrine-disrupting chemicals are taking a hidden toll on workers, insects, birds, and the environment. A short documentary by Beatrice Bashibyukyan.
hitchcockproject.org
November 14, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Latinos are disproportionately affected by environmental changes, more exposed to natural disasters, and face barriers to healthcare. Access to information is critical.
Learn more in this article by student Oscar Martinez for KUNR Public Radio.

🔗 hitchcockproject.org/why-should-l...
Why Should Latinos Care About Conservation? | The Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science
Latino Conservation Week seeks to get more Latino families outdoors. By Oscar Martinez/KUNR.
hitchcockproject.org
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
A new @climatecentral.org report shows how climate change has added more hot days to our summers — increasing risks for communities and ecosystems.
Read more in this article by Hitchcock student Oscar Martinez for KUNR Public Radio!
🔗 hitchcockproject.org/new-report-s...
New Report Shows That Climate Change Added More Hot Days to Summer
Climate change is adding hotter days to our calendar.
hitchcockproject.org
October 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Images on social media can do more than catch our attention — they can make us care.

Student Abdulmalik Adetola wrote this research review based on a 2022 study in Climate Policy led by Bienvenido León from the University of Navarra, Spain.

hitchcockproject.org/research-rev...

#SciComm
How Social Media Images Can Make Us Care About Climate Change | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
Are social media images the key to understanding climate change beyond numbers? A research review by Abdulmalik Adetola.
hitchcockproject.org
October 13, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Sleep — we all need it. But for many, quality sleep is hard to achieve (or even define).

Read this Q&A by Hitchcock student Ai Ana with sleep researcher Jessica Olsen to learn what good sleep really means—and how to get it. 😴

hitchcockproject.org/the-sleep-de...
The Sleep Deprivation Epidemic: An Exhaustive Overview | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
A Q&A with sleep researcher Jessica Olsen. By Ai Ana Richmond.
hitchcockproject.org
October 6, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Have you ever learned something from a joke? 🤔
When communicating science, humor can be a powerful tool for engaging audiences — but it can also backfire and hurt credibility.

Read research review by Hitchcock Project graduate assistant Abdulmalik Adetola.

hitchcockproject.org/research-rev...
Satire in Science Communication-When Humor Helps, and When it Hurts | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
Is satire an effective way to share science? A research review by Abdulmalik Adetola.
hitchcockproject.org
October 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
🎙️ The Hitchcock Project & KUNR Public Radio are seeking a Fall 2025 intern!
If you're passionate about science and the environment and have basic audio recording/editing skills, this is a great opportunity for you!

📩 Contact Kelsey Fitzgerald: kmfitzgerald@unr.edu.

#SciComm #Reno #PublicRadio
August 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Attention, aspiring filmmakers! The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, San Francisco/Northern California Chapter is now accepting applications for its College Scholarships. 🎬

Awards range from $3,000 to $5,000. 🗓️ Apply by September 1.

Learn more & apply: emmysf.tv/students-2/c...
College Scholarships - NATAS SF/NorCal
2025 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS   APPLICATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2025   TO APPLY, FILL OUT THIS FORM   Scholarships will be awarded at the Gold & Silver Circle Induction Luncheon on Saturday. October 18...
emmysf.tv
July 31, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Applications now open for the Wintermester 2026 Costa Rica Science Reporting Course! Travel with us and report from La Selva Research Station! 📅 Travel is planned for late December 2025 - early January 2026.

For questions, contact Jennifer Kent (jenniferkent@unr.edu)

🔗 forms.gle/arUmH4QdoRJM...
forms.gle
July 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
🎉 Congratulations to student Bela Delos-Reyes!

Bela placed in the top 20 in the Multimedia Narrative Video Storytelling category at the Hearst Awards, for her animated explainer titled The Science Behind Your Hangover.
Congrats, Bela! Keep up the great work! 👏
hitchcockproject.org/the-science-...
The Science Behind Your Hangover | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
In this animated explainer, Bela Delos-Reyes walks us through the science behind alcohol-induced hangovers and what a big night of drinking does to your body.
hitchcockproject.org
June 20, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Congratulations to student Alysha Cancino for placing among the top 20 in the Hearst Awards’ Innovative Multimedia category!

Alysha was awarded for her animated explainer, The Nightmare Before Your Dreams, where she explores sleep paralysis.

hitchcockproject.org/the-nightmar...

#SciComm
The Nightmare Before Your Dreams | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
Sleep paralysis, which occurs either as you drift off to sleep or as you wake up, involves a feeling of numbness and often hallucinations. However, it is not a normal experience.
hitchcockproject.org
June 16, 2025 at 11:02 PM
🎉 Congratulations to RSJ student Aiden Maher for placing tenth in the Innovative Multimedia competition at the Hearst Awards for his animated explainer, Where Does Water Go After We Use It?

We’re proud of you, Aiden! 👏💧

📽️ Watch the video: hitchcockproject.org/where-does-w...

#SciComm
Where Does Water Go After We Use It? | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
In this animated explainer, Aidan Mahe takes us on a journey through the water cycle, as water droplets travel from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and back again.
hitchcockproject.org
June 13, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Last week, Hitchcock Project director Jennifer Kent, Noticiero Movil's Claudia Cruz, and Dean Yun from the Reynolds School of Journalism travelled to the Hearst Awards at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco to celebrate the work of students who placed in the multimedia competition.

We’re so proud!
June 12, 2025 at 8:59 PM
🧠🔊 Mountain chickadees aren’t just chirping — they’re communicating! @unevadareno.bsky.social PhD student Sofia Haley produced this story for a Hitchcock Project course and it was now published by @us.theconversation.com!––with a video by reporter Jayanti Sarkar: theconversation.com/mountain-chi...
Mountain chickadee chatter: Scientists are decoding the songbird’s complex calls
Mountain chickadees follow systematic grammarlike rules to share important information, stringing together syllables like words in a sentence.
theconversation.com
June 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
🐐🔥 Meet Reno’s four-legged firefighters! 900 sheep and 230 goats are munching through invasive plants to help prevent wildfires.

Read more in this story by science reporter Ali Dickson for KUNR Public Radio:

🔗 hitchcockproject.org/four-legged-...

#WildfirePrevention #SciComm
Four-Legged Firefighters Remove Invasive and Hazardous Species
This spring in Reno, 900 sheep and 230 goats are hard at work on fire fuels reduction. By Ali Dickson/KUNR.
hitchcockproject.org
May 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Our Costa Rica course wrapped up with a final presentation last Friday! Researchers, students, and guests gathered as students showcased their powerful multimedia final projects. We can’t wait to share them with you soon! 🌿🎥
We’re heading back this winter. Stay tuned for info on how to participate!
May 12, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Why are NFL players pushing for real grass over artificial turf? 🌱🏈 While turf is cheaper to maintain, its safety has come into question — its harder, hotter surface raises the risk of knee and ankle injuries.
Animated explainer by Alin Beane hitchcockproject.org/the-grass-is...
Why NFL stadiums should avoid artificial turf
An animated explainer by Alin Beane breaks down the risks associated with artificial turf fields for football players.
hitchcockproject.org
May 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
From lab coats to newsrooms 🧪📰 Meet one of this year’s #GradsofthePack: Elizabeth Walsh, a biochemistry Ph.D. graduate at @unevadareno.bsky.social and Hitchcock Project student who was awarded a 2024 @aaas.org Mass Media Fellowship. We can’t wait to keep reading her work!
www.unr.edu/nevada-today...
Grads of the Pack: Elizabeth Walsh | University of Nevada, Reno
Biochemistry doctoral graduate Elizabeth Walsh was selected as a 2024 AAAS Mass Media Fellow. Here she shares her experiences in the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science and advice for scientists...
www.unr.edu
May 1, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This past weekend, Hitchcock Project editor @kelsmcfitz.bsky.social participated in a climate adaptation panel at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Tempe. Kelsey represented @driscience.bsky.social's Native Resilience project. We are proud of you, Kelsey!
April 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
🚬 New research from @unevadareno.bsky.social shows secondhand smoke spreads throughout Nevada casinos—even in “nonsmoking” areas. Despite ventilation, guests & workers are still exposed.

📝 Story by student Lily Wright for @thisisreno.bsky.social
hitchcockproject.org/research-con...
Research continues to show Nevada casinos expose patrons to secondhand smoke
As Nevadans call for action to protect themselves from secondhand smoke and prevent tobacco addiction, researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, are working to show the public and lawmakers the d...
hitchcockproject.org
April 24, 2025 at 10:01 PM
From howler monkeys and poisonous snakes to muddy hikes beneath rainforest trees — we’re back from our Costa Rica reporting trip and still buzzing! 🌿🐍 Check out the highlights with the Hitchcock Project, Reynolds School of Journalism & Noticiero Móvil ⬇️

hitchcockproject.org/rainy-skies-...
Rainy Skies and Rubber Boots: Reporting from the Rainforest of Costa Rica
In March, fifteen journalism students immersed themselves in a weeklong adventure at La Selva Research Station. By Vanesa de la Cruz Pavas.
hitchcockproject.org
April 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Reno has the fastest-warming spring temperatures in the U.S.—with temps rising 6.8°F since 1970, according to @climatecentral.org. Learn more about why this isn’t the kind of top ranking we want in this story by student reporter Ali Dickson for KUNR Public Radio.
hitchcockproject.org/reno-the-fas...
Reno: The Fastest-Warming Spring City
The average springtime temperature in Reno increased 6.8 degrees between 1970 and 2024, the fastest of 241 cities analyzed. By Ali Dickson /KUNR.
hitchcockproject.org
April 16, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Comics aren’t just for superheroes—they’re powerful tools for breaking down complex science in fun, visual ways! 🧬 A new study shows science comics can help jurors better understand forensic evidence. 🔍 Research review by student Abdulmalik Adetola: hitchcockproject.org/research-rev...
Research Review: Can science comics aid lay audiences’ comprehension of forensic science?
New science communication research tests the use of comics in the courtroom. By Abdulmalik Adetola.
hitchcockproject.org
April 15, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Cutting down on plastic straw use has made a real impact on Lake Tahoe—let’s keep it going! Volunteers have removed 31,000 plastic straws from Lake Tahoe's environment over the last decade. Read more from science reporter Ali Dickson for KUNR Public Radio.

hitchcockproject.org/reducing-pla...
Reducing Plastic Straw Use Helped Lake Tahoe | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
Volunteers have removed 31,000 plastic straws from Lake Tahoe’s environment over the last decade. By Ali Dickson /KUNR.
hitchcockproject.org
April 11, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Selecting a readable font is about more than aesthetics! ✨👀 Eye-tracking technology reveals how readers navigate text by analyzing fixation points (pauses) and saccades (movements).

Animated explainer by student Aaron Blum. 👇

hitchcockproject.org/what-makes-a...
What Makes a Typeface Readable? | The Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D., Project for Visualizing Science
An animated explainer by Aaron Blum takes us through the fundamentals of eye-tracking and demonstrates how it can be used to support data-driven design decisions.
hitchcockproject.org
April 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM