Andrew C. Revkin is an American science and environmental journalist, author and educator. He has written on a wide range of subjects including destruction of the
Amazon rain forest
The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...
, the
2004 Asian tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
, sustainable development,
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
, and the changing environment around the
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...
. He is the founding director of the Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at The Earth Institute of Columbia University.
Previously he was strategic adviser for environmental and science journalism at
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world.
Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and ...
. Through 2017 he was senior reporter for climate change at the independent investigative newsroom
ProPublica. He was a reporter for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' from 1995 through 2009. In 2007, he created the ''
Dot Earth
''Dot Earth'' is a media piece environmental blog, by science writer Andrew Revkin, which ran from 2007 to 2016 for ''The New York Times''. The blog's aim is to examine efforts to balance human affairs with the planet's limits.
Featuring video ...
'' environmental blog for ''The Times. ''The blog moved to the Opinion Pages in 2010 and ran through 2016. From 2010 to 2016 he was also the Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding at
Pace University.
["Andrew C. Revkin", Pace University, 2009.](_blank)
Accessed: December 3, 2012. He is also a performing songwriter and was a frequent accompanist of
Pete Seeger
Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...
.
Early life
Andrew Revkin was born and raised in Rhode Island. He graduated from
Brown University
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
in 1978 with a degree in Biology. He later received a Master's in Journalism from the
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City.
Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism s ...
.
Career
Early in his career he held senior editor and senior writer positions at ''
Discover
Discover may refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''Discover'' (album), a Cactus Jack album
* ''Discover'' (magazine), an American science magazine
Businesses and brands
* DISCover, the ''Digital Interactive Systems Corporation''
* Di ...
'' magazine and ''
Science Digest
''Science Digest'' was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1988.
History
''Science Digest'' was first published in January 1937 in an 8 x 5 inch digest size format of about 100 pages. ...
'', respectively.
[Revkin's Biography](_blank)
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', 23 April 2006
From 1995 through 2009, Revkin covered the environment for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. In 2003, he became the first ''Times'' reporter to file stories from the North Pole area and in 2005-6 broke stories about the
Bush administration's interference with scientific research, particularly at
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
.
[Cristine Russell]
"Revkin Taking NYT Buyout: Veteran climate reporter to leave paper after Copenhagen summit
''Columbia Journalism Review
The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its contents include news and media industry trends, ana ...
'', December 14, 2009
In 2010, he joined Pace University's Academy for Applied Environmental Studies as Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding.
Revkin has also written books on humanity's weather and climate learning journey, the once and future
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
, the
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
, and global warming. He was interviewed by
''Seed'' magazine about his book ''The North Pole Was Here'', which was published in 2006. He stressed that "the hard thing to convey in print as journalists, and for society to absorb, is that this is truly a century-scale problem."
Revkin is among those credited with developing the idea that humans, through growing impacts on Earth’s climate and other critical systems, are creating a distinct geological epoch, the
Anthropocene. He was a member of the "Anthropocene" Working Group from 2010 to 2016. The group is charged by a branch of the International Commission on Stratigraphy with gauging evidence that a formal change in the
Geologic Time Scale
The geologic time scale, or geological time scale, (GTS) is a representation of time based on the rock record of Earth. It is a system of chronological dating that uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochrono ...
is justified.
Works
*''Weather: An Illustrated History, from Cloud Atlases to Climate Change''. New York: Sterling, 2018,
*''The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World''. Boston: Kingfisher, 2006,
*''Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast''. New York: Abbeville Press, 1992,
''The Burning Season: The Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest'' Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004
990
Year 990 ( CMXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* Al-Mansur, ''de facto'' ruler of Al-Andalus, conquers the Castle of Montemor-o-Velho (mode ...
:-- translated and published also in Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Thai editions
[WorldCat.]
Accessed: July 31, 2012.
Films based on his work
Two films have been based on Revkin's writing:
* ''
The Burning Season'' (1994), a prize-winning HBO film starring
Raul Julia
Raúl Rafael Carlos Juliá y Arcelay (March 9, 1940 – October 24, 1994) was a Puerto Rican actor. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he took an interest in acting while still in school and pursued the career upon completion of his studies. After ...
and directed by
John Frankenheimer, was based on Revkin's eponymous biography of
Chico Mendes, the slain defender of the Amazon rain forest.
* ''
Rock Star'' (2001), starring
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three ...
and
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
, was based on "A Metal-Head Becomes a Metal-God. Heavy," a 1997 ''New York Times'' article by Revkin. The article described how a singer in a
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...
tribute band rose to replace his idol in the real band.
Songwriter and musician
Revkin is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who leads a Hudson Valley roots ensemble calle
Breakneck Ridge Revue He performed frequently with
Pete Seeger
Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...
between 2003 and 2014 and was a member of Uncle Wade, a blues-
roots
A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients.
Root or roots may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
band. His first album,
A Very Fine Line', featuring guest contributions by
Dar Williams,
Mike Marshall and
Bruce Molsky, was released in November, 2013.
Awards
* 2021
Sigma Xi Honorary Member
* 2015
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people (not members). AGU's act ...
, Robert C. Cowen Award for Sustained Achievement in Science Journalism
* 2011
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
,
National Academy of Engineering, and
Institute of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly called the Institute of Medicine (IoM) until 2015, is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Medicine is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, E ...
joint
National Academies Communication Award The National Academies Communication Award was an annual prize bestowed in recognition of creative works that help the public understand topics in science, engineering or medicine. The awards were established in 2003 and administered by the Keck Fut ...
["'Dot Earth' Blog Earns a Second National Communication Award..." Pace Law School, September 16, 2011.]
Accessed: December 4, 2012.
* 2008
John Chancellor Award
John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism is an annual award of $25,000 selected by a panel of journalists, for courageous and sustained reporting.
Established in 1995, the award was formerly administered by the University of Pennsylvania ...
,
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
* 2007-2008 Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award,
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
*2007 Honorary Sol Feinstone Environmental Award,
SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, NY
"New York Times Reporter Receives Honorary Feinstone Award", SUNY-ESF, September 13, 2007.
Accessed: June 24, 2012.
*2006 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the art ...
* 2003 National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly called the Institute of Medicine (IoM) until 2015, is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Medicine is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, E ...
joint National Academies Communication Award The National Academies Communication Award was an annual prize bestowed in recognition of creative works that help the public understand topics in science, engineering or medicine. The awards were established in 2003 and administered by the Keck Fut ...
["National Academies Communication Awards."]
Accessed: December 4, 2012.
* 2002 and 1986 American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...
(climate change, nuclear winter)
* 1983 Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, for a magazine article "on the worldwide death toll from misuse of Paraquat
Paraquat (trivial name; ), or ''N'',''N''′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride (systematic name), also known as methyl viologen, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H7N)2l2. It is classified as a viologen, a family of redox ...
"
* Honorary doctorate, Pace University
* His book, ''The North Pole Was Here'', was "A Junior Library Guild selection"[WorldCat.]
Accessed: July 31, 2012.
References
External links
- Biography at the NYTimes
Revkin Videos
- Revkin's YouTube channel
*
*
*
Video of Revkin accepting the John Chancellor Award
*
"9 Billion People + 1 Planet = ?" Andrew Revkin's interview with Vaclav Smil
at the Quantum to Cosmos festival at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI, Perimeter, PITP) is an independent research centre in foundational theoretical physics located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1999. The institute's founding and major benefactor i ...
.
New York Times review of "The Burning Season."
National Public Radio interview with Revkin about the making of "Rock Star."
"Q&A: Andrew Revkin"
''The Observatory'' December 16, 2008 Columbia Journalism Review
* Chris Hayes
Exploring the wicked problem of climate change with Andrew Revkin
(Aug. 14, 2018)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Revkin, Andrew
Living people
The New York Times columnists
1956 births
American non-fiction environmental writers
Brown University alumni
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
Columbia University faculty
Pace University faculty
Environmental journalists
Folk musicians from New York (state)
Songwriters from New York (state)
American bloggers
Environmental bloggers
Online journalists
People from Garrison, New York
Discover (magazine) people
21st-century American non-fiction writers