Environmental Journalism Indigenous Media

I an Information and Media Ph.D. I have 20 years of experience as an environmental journalist and communications expert. My research is focused on Indigenous media, environmental journalism, social media, and politics. I am a qualitative researcher with a fierce passion for datasets and spreadsheets.

Peer-Reviewed Publications


Hydropower in the News

Mourão, R. R., Neuls, G. S., & Ninni, K. (2022). Hydropower in the News: How Journalists do (not) Cover the Environmental and Socioeconomic Costs of Dams in Brazil. Environmental Communication, 16:6, 822-835. doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2022.2115095

Discursos e vozes na cobertura jornalística das COP15 e 16

Girardi, I. M. T., Massierer, C., Moraes, C. H. de, Loose, E. B., Neuls, G., Schwaab, R., Camana, Â., & Gertz, L. (2013). Discursos e vozes na cobertura jornalística das COP15 e 16. Em Questão, 19(2), 176–194.

O olhar do jornalismo sobre a Economia Verde

Girardi, I., Moraes, C. H. de, Loose, E. B., Neuls, G. S., Massierer, C., Camana, Â., & Gertz, L. (2016). O olhar do jornalismo sobre a Economia Verde: Estudo a partir da cobertura da Rio+20 pelos portais G1, UOL e Terra. LÍBERO, 0(32), 71–80.

Teaching Experience


Higher Education

Instructor of Record at Michigan State University, School of Journalism

  • Environmental, Science and Health Reporting (JRN 472), AY 2023-2025
  • Public Relations for Journalists (JRN 402), Summer 2022, asynchronous
  • Environmental Advocacy Planning (JRN 472), Summer 2023, asynchronous

General Public

Experience co-creating and facilitating courses in popular communication for underprivileged communities.

Experience co-creating and facilitating courses in socio-environmental leadership in the Brazilian Amazon.

Journalists’ training with the Knight Foundation for Environmental Journalism

Education


PhD Information and MEdia

Information and Media Graduate Program, Michigan State University

Specialization in Gender, Justice and Environmental Change.

Year of conclusion: August, 2025.

Master in Communication and Information

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Year of conclusion: 2011.

Bachelor in Communication – Journalism

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Year of conclusion: 2004.

Professional Experiences


Communication and Public Relations

I created a PR firm specializing in socio-environmental communication and led it for six years in Brazil.

I was CCO for the São Paulo State’s Environment Secretariat, overseeing eight governmental institutions’ communication strategies and press relations.

I lead the communication strategy and team for a prominent environmental NGO at Amazon in Brazil.

Journalism

I started as an online editor of the biggest news portal in my home state, Rio Grande do Sul.

I created and hosted for two years a weekly radio show about environmental issues called Sintonia da Terra.

I was the Chief Online Editor of a broadcast channel dedicated to agribusiness.

I was a freelance reporter for one of Brazil’s most important magazines covering the environment.

Grant Experiences


Research Grants

2020-2023 National Science Foundation
Project: GCR – Convergence for Innovative Energy Solutions: Empowering Off-Grid Communities with Sustainable Energy Technologies
Co-PIs: Emilio Moran (PI), Maria Claudia Lopez, Norbert Mueller, Aaron McCright, Rachel Mourão

Experience with research grants from CAPES and CNPq in Brazil.

Other Grants

2022-2024 Mott Foundation
Energy Convergence for Off-Grid Amazonian Communities Program
Co-PIs: Emilio Moran (PI), Judy Walgren, Norbert Mueller, Aaron McCright, Maria Claudia Lopez, Rachel Mourão

Experience with grants for NGOs from foundations and international aid agencies such as USAID and the European Commission.

Awards


Research

2024 – CLACS Field Research Award
MSU Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS)

Other

2025 – Outstanding Graduate Student – MSU School of Journalism.

2024 – Rachel Carson Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Environmental Journalism
Knight Center for Environmental Journalism