Rebekah Jones, Environmental Services

Rebekah Jones: Geographer, Journalist, and Environmental Enthusiast

Rebekah Jones's Bio:

There was a moment, when I was 16 and standing in the rubble of an 18th century church on the Biloxi Bay, that I realized I wanted more. More answers. More results. More time. My life has been a perpetual search for knowledge – an incessant need for the sort of wisdom only obtained through education and experience. Neither succeeds without the other. So throughout my undergraduate career at Syracuse University and into my graduate education at Louisiana State University, I’ve studied applied climatology, natural hazards and communications – the sheet music to the soundtrack of my life. My time at Syracuse transformed me into someone who barely resembled who I was when I arrived on the hill just five years prior: I am now a vegetarian, speak in spatial and temporal scales and am a GIS connoisseur. Above all, I like to think discovering geography was like finding religion for me. It changed the core of who I am. As a geography and mass communications major at LSU, looking forward into my future, I will always be dedicated to truth and justice- the two pillars of my two majors. — I’m currently researching climate variability, sea level change and barrier islands. I also work on website development and publications for the Geography department at LSU and for the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program. Aside from my work as a researcher, I write about climate change, social justice, gun violence, and science-fiction. Here’s some cool stuff I’ve done: –>Wrote an 800-word obituary for an 150-year-old pet alligator that was republished by USA Today. No joke. Read it here. –>Organized and hosted the fifth anniversary memorial of Hurricane Katrina at Syracuse University. Katrina defined much of who I am, and I try my best to honor the memories of those who were lost and those who continue to struggle. –> Played Beater for the Syracuse University Quidditch Team, and for the LSU Quidditch team. –>Published a 10,000 word, interactive analysis of preventable disease and death in America, illustrated using more than 30 maps and graphics, originally generated, using ArcMap and InDesign. I’m not bragging, but it was pretty epic. But there’s much more to me than that. I am a die-hard Saints fan, an unapologetic vegetarian, and an avid environmentalist. Check out some of my work on this website, and let me know what you think. -Rebekah Jones

Rebekah Jones's Experience:

Remote Sensing Analyst at ImageCat Inc.
November 2012 - April 2013
Using remotely sensed data, my job was to assess wind damage, inundation, and storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy across the mid-Atlantic and northeast. Assignments included marking buildings, determining flood height, and verification of grids. The research period lasted from November 1 through January in a highly intensive project, demanding more than 500 hours of labor in that three-month period. My second project with ImageCat Inc. was to conduct damage assessments across Oklahoma following a strain of deadly tornadoes in April 2013 using similar techniques utilized in the Hurricane Sandy Project.
Communications Intern at Greater Baton Rouge Clean Cities Coalition
April 2012 - August 2012
My principal responsibility was to design, produce and research for publications regarding GBCCC operations, including raising awareness of electronic vehicle charging stations locations and viability, reorganization of city infrastructure and planning, and emerging green technologies.
Communications and Special Projects Intern at Syracuse Center of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems
May 2011 - November 2011
As an intern, my duties included: Writing, editing, designing, and researching for publications for the EPA, USDA, City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, US Department of Energy, NY Department of Environmental Conservation, and other, local non-profit organizations. I edited letters from our organization to Governor John de Jongh (U.S. Virgin Islands), facilitated workshops on health issues relating to hydrofracking, and spent a week collecting data and personal stories from those affected by natural gas drilling across Pennsylvania. I directed, edited and produced videos with the Onondaga Earth Corps, an inner-city youth program focused on environmental issues. I assisted with public outreach and education as part of Onondaga County's "Save the Rain" program, which included website development, designing/editing informational publications and attending rain-barrel installation workshops. I also designed a map of rain barrel distribution via ArcGIS, which was presented to the city as justification of allocating addition resources in neglected areas of the city. The topics my research focused on were: sustainable waste management, national, state and local funding opportunities for sustainable development, New York Food and Agriculture(C) trade, industrial composting, watershed mechanics and preservation, hydrofracking, sustainable city infrastructure and more. Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0HaP1wqbNc&noredirect=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5AvhIf3vEQ
Feature Editor, Student Business Manager at The Daily Orange
April 2008 - April 2011
At The Daily Orange, I rose from staff writer, to assistant feature editor, to feature editor in less than a year. As feature editor, my duties included: Assigning stories to writers and editing their work. Writing feature stories weekly, editing four-to-eight stories nightly, personnel management, layout design, and more. When my time was done as a feature, I moved into the business area of The Daily Orange, where I served as director as alumni relations, office assistant and student business manager throughout my three years of employment. My duties included: Personnel management, billing, alumni relations, newspaper distribution, advertising, payroll, routine office duties. I led a fundraising campaign which garnished more than $65,000 in donations.
Receptionist and Historical Collections Assistant, LGBT Resource Center at Syracuse University
May 2010 - August 2010
As a second job to my duties at The Daily Orange, I took on part-time work with the LGBT Resource Center, housed at Syracuse University. My duties included: Routine office work, archiving newspaper articles, books and movies for the center's online and in-house library, designing flyers for events, assisting staff in planning events, and more.
Assistant Teacher at The New School
January 2010 - March 2010
My short time with The New School served as a second, part-time job to my employment with The Daily Orange. I worked various part-time jobs throughout my time there as I was enrolled at Syracuse University and working through college. The New School was one of the more-rewarding jobs I've had. My duties included: English-language instruction for French speaking children ages 6-10, special needs education and behavioral assistant, instructor for English, Reading and Math courses.
Staff Writer at Stone County Enterprise
May 2009 - August 2009
My summer internship with The Stone County Enterprise bled into my fall semester from the previous summer. My duties included: Writing and editing four stories weekly, conducting polling during local and state elections, leading investigative research for feature stories, collaborating with national news organizations for local issues, building website and social media pages, designing multimedia pieces, including photography and video projects. I once wrote a obituary for a 150-year-old pet alligator named Chopper, a celebrity of sorts for the people of Brooklyn, Miss. Although a small-town paper, my experienced there were rich in learning opportunities, and always interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5AvhIf3vEQ
Graduate Assistant at Louisiana State University
May 2012
As a graduate assistant I work for the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP RISA) and the Southern Regional Climate Center (SRCC), both housed in LSU's Geography Department. I also produce content for the Geography Department website and manage the faculty and department blogs. At SCIPP and the SRCC, I work primarily in climate communications. I write, design and edit publications relating to climate change and adaptation. Often, these projects require weeks of intense research on a hyper-local climate-related issue. These informational documents are distributed both on the SCIPP website (www.southernclimate.org) and to community members/decision makers along the Gulf Coast. I also reviewed/edited several chapters of the 2012 National Climate Assessment.

Rebekah Jones's Education:

Louisiana State University
2012 – 2014
Master of Science (M.S.)
Syracuse University
2007 – 2012
B.A.
Concentration: Geography, Newspaper and Online Journalism

Rebekah Jones

Geographer | Environmental Services

Rebekah Jones: Geographer, Journalist, and Environmental Enthusiast

Rebekah Jones's Bio:

Rebekah Jones's Experience:

Remote Sensing Analyst at ImageCat Inc.

Communications Intern at Greater Baton Rouge Clean Cities Coalition

Communications and Special Projects Intern at Syracuse Center of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems

Feature Editor, Student Business Manager at The Daily Orange

Receptionist and Historical Collections Assistant, LGBT Resource Center at Syracuse University

Assistant Teacher at The New School

Staff Writer at Stone County Enterprise

Graduate Assistant at Louisiana State University

Rebekah Jones's Education:

Louisiana State University

Syracuse University