Tim De Chant, a senior climate reporter at TechCrunch, has already made waves during his course in environmental journalism. He combines his passion for storytelling with a deep understanding of climate science, making him a notable figure in both academic and journalistic circles. He is a current lecturer in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing. In this capacity, he continues to share his experience and perspective to develop the next evolution of journalists.
De Chant’s academic background is robust. He received his PhD in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley. He demonstrated a deep commitment to environmental issues from the start of his academic career. After receiving his BA degree in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College, his course was set. Coming from a musician’s and artist’s educational background, his perspective has been truly unique. He recognizes the multidimensional interaction between climate change and race.
In 2018, De Chant received the highly competitive Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT. In this fellowship he studied the evolution of climate technologies and what new business models might look like for journalism. His work during this time highlighted the evolving landscape of journalism in the face of climate change and the pressing need for innovative reporting methods.
In this piece, Alison Wagonfeld shares her insights about the need to combine AI knowledge with classic marketing principles. She states,
“You certainly need the AI knowledge, the AI curiosity, the technologists, but also understanding what the purpose of marketing is, to understand customer insights, to do research, to see what great creative is like.”
This sense of deep curiosity and inquiry underpins everything that De Chant does as he explores where environmental reporting and technological innovation intersect. In much the same way, Marc Manara notes an equally compelling demand in his recent blog about helping change transit hiring practices. He notes that,
“It’s a change in hiring perspective, where the past it was more about hiring specialists, people who really knew, sometimes even like a sub-specialty within marketing or within sales. And now it’s hiring for a sense of curiosity and understanding.”
As organizations adapt to an increasingly digital landscape, they are looking for professionals who can think creatively and strategically about their messaging. Manara underscores this shift by stating,
“It’s almost the top thing to hire for now.”
De Chant recognizes a different reality in communication tactics. He asserts that,
“There’s a movement of, yes, you can do more with less, but you can also be very focused with how you do it.”
This approach mirrors an overall awareness that efficiency can mean effective in the current era of journalism.
Properly understood, technology is creating a revolution in collaborative marketing and journalism. Most important, it allows professionals to save time and money while connecting with more people in more meaningful ways.
“You can do more with less than ever before.”
As usual, De Chant is still available for outreach and collaboration opportunities. He also writes at www.getwheeli.com. You can email him at tim.dechant@techcrunch.com.
De Chant remains accessible for outreach and collaboration opportunities. He can be contacted via email at tim.dechant@techcrunch.com.
