Trent Johnson, health behavior and health education master's student at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is associate producer of "Going Solar," a video report on the state of solar energy in North Carolina. The report was broadcast Monday, Dec. 6, on UNC-TV's "North Carolina Now."

 

Johnson's project was developed through a science documentary television course, taught in the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication by Thomas Linden, MD, Glaxo Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Medical Journalism and director of the Medical and Science Journalism Program.

"Public health and environmental sustainability go hand in hand," Johnson said. "Traditional energy sources, such as fossil fuels, carry with them tremendous environmental costs to the quality of air we breathe and water we drink. In producing this documentary, I visited much of North Carolina's existing solar infrastructure and learned about some of the challenges facing the industry as it tries to expand. The skills I learned in producing this documentary will serve me well as I look to address other important public health issues."

 

Journalism master's student Amanda Komar produced the piece, and UNC-TV's Mike Oniffrey was the videographer. The video is available online.

 
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications,  (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.