Krystnell Storr, who joins GBH as the first-ever science and equity editor for NOVA, says she has landed the “dream job.”
Storr will work on developing and editing content at all stages of development and production, with a focus on cultural and historical accuracy, diversity of stories and scientists and the inclusion of the perspectives of historically excluded groups most affected by the science that NOVA covers.
“This role is a significant step in achieving our commitment to help reshape the science media landscape,” said Julia Cort, co-executive producer of NOVA, “by amplifying the voices of women scientists and scientists of color and highlighting the perspectives of communities that are deeply impacted by science but have often been excluded from science reporting.”
Storr brings more than a decade of experience as a science writer and editor to the role. With a master's degree in journalism from New York University, she joins GBH from Scholastic, Inc. where she managed a social-emotional learning and healthcare magazine for high schoolers.
Storr, who is used to relentless deadlines as a journalist, looks forward to the opportunity to take a deep dive into finding the best sources.
“I want to be a flashlight and shine light on potential voices and angles of a story that NOVA’s producers might not have sought before,” she said.
“ I hope to help NOVA take a fresh look at who we consider the best source for a story and how that person’s lived experiences might factor into their expertise,” she adds. “I’m impressed at the commitment NOVA is making to diversity and representation.”
“Journalists and editors of color often are expected to bring diverse stories and sources to a team, but it’s typically not acknowledged that this requires having the support to do so,” she added. “It takes time to find the best person for a story.”
The new position is an expression of NOVA’s mission, said Chris Schmidt, co-executive producer. “At NOVA, we believe science has enormous power. Widespread engagement with scientific ideas in every community is essential for a just society. Representation is key for that engagement.”
Tapping her investigative reporting skills, Storr will reach out proactively to discover and cultivate relationships with diverse sources—in this case scientists—in laboratories and universities across the country. She hopes her efforts will draw more viewers to NOVA.
“I hope that young people who watch NOVA will see more scientists who look like them. Even better, I hope that we tap into a larger, younger audience as we broaden the pool of researchers that we seek out,” she said.
“This job is a journalist’s dream—to be involved at every stage of the storytelling and given the time to consider different perspectives and approaches to a project.”
Building NOVA’s networks is essential, she added.
“You want voices from diverse communities to be built into a story organically, not tacked on to the end. I think that taking the time to do the research will help us find the exact right person to speak on behalf of the topics we’re covering.”
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