TUCSON — Olesen Davis de Dios Creative Group congratulates Emma Brocato for having been selected as the 2022 Recipient of the O.D.D. Science Multimedia Scholarship.
Emma Brocato, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Arizona School of Journalism, is the recipient of the Olesen Davis de Dios Science Multimedia Scholarship for 2022. The scholarship committee selected Brocato “for her dedication to her studies as well as her efforts to give a voice to the untold stories of the natural world.”
Emma received her undergraduate degree in agricultural communication and journalism from Texas Tech University before choosing to pursue a master’s degree in Science & Environmental Journalism in Tucson. In her scholarship application, Emma wrote that she plans to “use both these degrees to bring environmental issues to light while communicating the beauty and importance of the world around us.”
Emma, who was driven to explore conservation by her fascination with the natural world, also studies nature photography. Her photos have been featured alongside multiple of her published written works. Emma’s work has been featured in the Tucson Weekly, on the Arizona Daily Star’s Tucson.com, and in the Agriculturist of Texas Tech University.
“We are extremely excited to learn about Emma and her successes thus far in science journalism,” said John de Dios, the executive producer and a co-founder of Olesen Davis de Dios Creative Group. “We look forward to meeting her very soon and watching her continue her work in shedding light on the many issues plaguing our natural world.”
Emma is described by her professors as one of the university’s finest science journalism students.
Read more about Emma and her work:
Emma’s graduate profile at the School of Journalism
Tucson Weekly: Bouncing Back from the Bighorn Fire: As Mount Lemmon recovers, residents discuss strategies to reduce future risks
Tucson.com: Monarch Butterflies Putting on a Spectacular Show in Tucson this Fall
SCHOLARSHIP HISTORY & DEDICATION
We’re saddened to share that our dear brother in science Cecil R. Schwalbe, one of the people whom the O.D.D. Science Multimedia Scholarship was dedicated to, recently passed away.
Cecil, commonly known as “The Snakeman”, was Arizona’s first state herpetologist, an amazing wildlife photographer, and our inspiration for the naming of the O.D.D. Science Multimedia Scholarship. For Cecil was indeed a wonderfully “odd” man whom we loved dearly.
After a career that focused on reptiles and amphibians in the Sonoran Desert, Cecil joined his wife Carol in teaching science multimedia journalism at the University of Arizona. It was during this time that John and I got to know Cecil.
A fond (and odd) memory of Cecil took place during my first science journalism class in 2013 during the class trip to Biosphere 2. At night, Cecil went looking for scorpions with a black light. Upon finding one, he would proceed to pose for a picture by sticking the thing on his tongue!
It was at that moment that I realized how dedicated to science communication Cecil truly was! The man always put it all on the line. There are even stories and photographs of him wrangling an alligator.
Cecil’s love and dedication to science and life are central to the O.D.D. Science Multimedia Scholarship. Each recipient of the scholarship must show a knack for multimedia and science storytelling like our older brother the Snakeman.
~ Alan
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION
If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to help us grow the ODD Science Multimedia Scholarship Endowment, visit the University of Arizona Foundation campaign.
For additional information about the University of Arizona School of Journalism, contact Michael Chesnick, outreach coordinator, at The University of Arizona School of Journalism, Marshall Building, Rm. 334, 845 N. Park Ave., Tucson, AZ 85711. Email: journal@email.arizona.edu Phone: 520.621.7557
Davis de Dios Media 