Katie Burke, a science journalist and editor based in Virginia, has joined AHCJ as the new environmental health beat leader.
“I want to be the research assistant that every journalist deserves and so few of us get,” Burke said of her new role.
Burke has a doctorate in biology and worked as an ecology researcher for seven years before joining the American Scientist where she has been an editor for 12 years.
“Katie’s deep background in science and experience as an editor will give AHCJ’s growing resources on environmental health a big boost,” said Katherine Reed, AHCJ’s director of education and content. “This is such an important subject, and Katie’s going to be a great guide for the increasing number of health care journalists reporting on the implications of climate change in particular.”
Burke has covered the Flint water crisis, the aftermath of hurricanes, and diversity and inclusion issues in science, among other topics. Some of her most popular stories include an interview about COVID-19, a breaking story about a giant tadpole, and a book review about climate communication. Her work has earned the EXCEL award for Feature Writing and Best New Innovation.
“Not only am I an experienced journalist, I also used to be an environmental scientist working on conservation and disease ecology,” Burke said. So, I love ferreting out and then translating interesting research papers. I love building interdisciplinary bridges. My background in long-form means I have a penchant for the stories and angles the news cycle misses.”
Burke’s mission in her new role is to help simplify environmental health research for members and provide them with valuable resources to amplify their reporting on this increasingly important topic.
“I understand how difficult it is for busy journalists to cover complex science topics, especially when a news story is unfolding quickly,” she said. “By reaching out to experts, I aim to make common themes and misconceptions apparent, offering deeper background research than many journalists can handle alone.”
Some topics Burke looks forward to writing about include:
- How to cover climate change with a public health lens.
- Emerging discourse about disease ecology and disease spillover from animals to humans.
- A solutions-oriented lens on pollution/contamination issues.
- Common mistakes and media patterns when covering a disaster, whether it be a pandemic or the aftermath of a hurricane.
AHCJ has been covering environmental health since January 2023, thanks to support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
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