'Ethanol: Salvation or Damnation?' earns national student reporting award

An in-depth report by University of Nebraska-Lincoln journalism students titled "Ethanol: Salvation or Damnation?" has been judged first place in the Society of Environmental Journalism's 2009 Awards for Reporting on the Environment for the category Outstanding Student Reporting. The competition in most categories was intense, according to the judges, who are accomplished journalists and journalism educators.

SEJ will honor the winners and present the awards at an Oct. 7 ceremony in Madison, Wis. The winner in each of nine categories will receive $1,000 and a trophy, while second- and third-place finishers will receive certificates. The winner of the student category wins $250 plus up to $750 to attend the annual conference. The contest also includes a book category offering a $10,000 prize.

"We're proud of our students' accomplishments," said Charlyne Berens, interim dean of Journalism and Mass Communications. "These students have continued our college's proud tradition of solid journalism in student depth-reporting projects."

The awards ceremony will kick off SEJ's 19th annual conference, hosted by the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Nearly 800 journalists, academics and others are expected to attend the five-day gathering, which will feature more than 60 panels, tours and social events.

"The experiences allow students to explore topics of global impact in depth and to develop work that goes beyond the superficial," said Joe Starita, journalism professor who served as co-adviser for the project along with lecturer Carolyn Johnsen.

Johnsen, a long-time SEJ member, said, "The SEJ conference offers students many opportunities to learn how distinguished professionals cover environmental stories. The conference will also offer students chances to make contacts that are so valuable as the news business evolves."

This ethanol project is one of a series of documentaries and depth reports produced by students in UNL's College of Journalism and Mass Communications, a program committed to preparing the next generation of media professionals. Past awards to the college's depth-reporting projects have included the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation 2007 Excellence in Journalism Award to "Platte River Odyssey," the Student Academy Award-winning documentary "Cuba: Illogical Temple," and the Pulitzer Prize- nominated "Cuba: An Elusive Truth."

Following is a list of journalism students by hometown with their assignment on the ethanol magazine project and academic major:

NEBRASKA

Burwell: Aaron E. Price, reporter and photographer, natural resource management/environmental economics major.

Lincoln: Mimi Abebe, reporter, news-editorial and English.

Minden: Lucas Jameson, reporter, news-editorial.

Omaha: Melissa Drozda, reporter, journalism graduate student with bachelor's degree in biology and English; Kate Veik, photographer, news-editorial.

ELSEWHERE

Albuquerque, N.M.: Alex Haueter, graphic designer, news-editorial.

Fort Collins, Colo.: Cassie Fleming, reporter, news-editorial and political science.

Nagano, Japan: Kosuke Koiwai, photographer, broadcasting and computer science.

The Society of Environmental Journalism is an independent, nonpartisan grassroots educational group dedicated to the highest standards of public service journalism. SEJ is the only North American membership association of professional journalists dedicated to more and better coverage of environment-related issues. It was founded in 1990 by award-winning print and broadcast journalists on staff with The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, National Geographic, Turner Broadcasting/CNN, Scripps Howard News Service, Minnesota Public Radio and others. SEJ's membership includes more than 1,500 journalists, editors, educators and students working in print, broadcast and online news media throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and 27 other countries.