News and Insights

ASU Showcases Sustainability Prowess During SEJ 2025

May 1, 2025

Several members of the FINN Global Education Practice – Jennifer Robinson, Morgan Livingston and Patricia Stapor – spent last week in Tempe, Arizona with longtime client Arizona State University’s Global Futures Laboratory (GFL). The GFL is a research and innovation hub on the ASU campus dedicated to addressing critical global challenges and designing a future where humanity thrives.

All week, we collaborated with the GFL to celebrate Earth Day and to welcome nearly 1,000 environmental journalists from around the world to campus for the 35th annual Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) conference.

Every day is Earth Day at the ASU GFL

The week kicked off on Tuesday, April 22nd, with an event at the GFL to mark the 55th Earth Day. Dr. Peter Schlosser, vice president and vice provost of the GFL, spoke to the urgent importance of collective action to protect the future of the planet. 

“One thing is undoubtedly true: Progress has been made,” said Dr. Schlosser. “But another thing is also true: We are not moving fast enough. We are still pushing Earth’s systems to the limits. The future depends not only on how far we have come, but how quickly and boldly we choose to act from this point forward.”

There is a lot to do, but as Dr. Schlosser reminded the audience, adopting a fatalist attitude will get us nowhere. We must be motivated by what is possible and pursue it tirelessly–which is the kind of work happening at the GFL every day.

ASU lends its experts to SEJ 2025

ASU experts had a busy week! From networking to speaking on panels to leading tours of SEJ attendees–several faculty members offered their expertise and insights on important conference themes like heat, water and urban growth.

The conference officially began with opening night on Wednesday, April 23rd, when SEJ attendees filled the atrium of the Walton Center–home to the GFL–and were welcomed by Dr. Schlosser. He reminded us all that scientists and environmental journalists are unified under a common mission: to uncover the truth and advance knowledge in support of that truth.

Several members of ASU faculty gave SEJ attendees an inside look at the amazing research happening within the GFL on topics ranging from turtles and locusts to extreme heat and carbon capture.

Other highlights included several sessions that brought together a range of experts, including several ASU faculty, who provided commentary on emerging and ongoing topics in the field:

• Should we mine the ocean floor? – The day after Trump’s Executive Order to fasttrack deep sea mining, NPR Marketplace’s Daniel Ackerman asked researchers–including ASU’s School of Ocean Futures scientist Sheryl Murdock–and industry experts to weigh in on the safety of this form of mining.
• Will Biden’s Billions Survive Trump’s Purge? – POLITICO’s energy team shared lessons from tracking federal funding, like the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law, and recommended tips, resources and highlighted lessons from their own reporting.
• How To Make Biodiversity Stories Matter to Your Audiences – Freelancer Jane Hu emphasized that in order for a biodiversity story pitch to be considered, writers should personalize stories to their audiences to clearly convey the stakes for readers.
• Is Phoenix sustainable? – Led by The Arizona Republic’s Brandon Loomis, the session addressed some of the biggest challenges facing the growing city–extreme heat and water policy. ASU Senior Global Futures Scientist Kathryn Sorensen, who leads the Kyl Center for Water Policy, offered some insights into how Phoenix is adapting water policy to be more sustainable. 

Students reporting live from SEJ

To report on the conference, SEJ convened a group of 16 student journalists, including eight students from the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, to form a student newsroom, led by The Arizona Republic. Some of their coverage included:

• Four things to know about extreme heat
• How journalists help readers understand climate change’s local effects
• Three ways journalists and readers can overcome anxiety about environment

The conference offered journalists and scientists time to come together and take deep dives on some of the planet’s most pressing environmental issues. It was a powerful reminder of how essential this work is. Elevating the need for both ongoing scientific research and the need for responsible journalism on the issues galvanized attendees for the shared work ahead.