We find in Joshua Rapp Learn a rare hybrid of rigorous scientist and poetic storyteller. Based in Washington D.C. with reporting spanning six continents, his work for Hakai Magazine and Smithsonian Institution publications has redefined nature writing through:
Successful story proposals should:
“The most compelling pitches help me see connections - between past and present, between lab research and field observations, between human communities and ecological systems.”
We trace Joshua Rapp Learn’s journey from his roots as a polyglot adventurer to becoming one of North America’s most respected environmental journalists. His career began unconventionally - tracking lizard habitats in Patagonian foothills and documenting Indigenous cultural shifts in Panama’s Guna Yala archipelago. These early experiences forged his signature approach: blending rigorous scientific inquiry with vivid narrative storytelling.
“Science writing keeps me sane because it’s not always negative like hard news. There’s profound hope in documenting species recovery or cultural adaptations to climate change.”
This 2022 Smithsonian investigation reveals the complex trophic cascades following puma predation on Magellanic penguins in Argentina’s Punta Tombo reserve. Learn masterfully interweaves ecological data with interviews from ranchers-turned-conservationists, demonstrating how human-wildlife conflict resolution can yield unexpected scientific insights. The piece’s impact led to revised management policies for five South American marine protected areas.
In this 2023 Science News exclusive, Learn exposes how environmental DNA analysis uncovered invasive bullfrog populations encroaching on the habitat of Pithecopus rusticus. The article’s innovative use of geospatial mapping to track species displacement patterns has become a model for invasive biology reporting. Conservation groups subsequently launched a successful crowdfunding campaign for habitat protection based on findings from this report.
Demonstrating his historical science writing range, this 2021 Discover Magazine piece details Franklin’s innovative use of nature printing techniques to prevent currency fraud. Learn collaborated with materials scientists to recreate 18th-century papermaking methods, revealing previously undocumented colonial-era anti-counterfeiting measures. The research methodology has since been adopted by three university history departments.
Learn’s award-winning piece on hurricane-driven lizard evolution [Science News, 2018] succeeded by merging paleontological data with real-time storm tracking. Effective pitches should bridge ≥2 scientific disciplines, particularly ecology with materials science or cultural anthropology.
His 2022 Hakai Magazine feature on sea otter reintroduction demonstrates preference for solutions-focused narratives. While addressing environmental challenges, successful pitches should highlight innovative mitigation strategies or unexpected ecological benefits.
The 2021 Guna Yala climate adaptation story [Canadian Geographic] set a benchmark for community-led reporting. Pitches involving Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) should specify collaboration protocols and include local language sources.
Learn’s Franklin investigation shows his appetite for historical case studies with modern relevance. Successful history-of-science pitches should draw clear lines to contemporary issues like climate policy or bioengineering ethics.
His 2020 interactive feature on Amazonian cloud forests [National Geographic] combined 360° photography with soundscape recordings. Pitches should suggest innovative formats like GIS mapping layers or augmented reality integrations.
Recognized for groundbreaking work on hurricane-driven rapid evolution in Anolis lizards. The judging panel particularly noted the article’s innovative synthesis of paleoclimate data and contemporary ecological modeling.
Awarded for investigative series on boreal forest methane emissions, praised for its balance between complex atmospheric science and Indigenous land stewardship perspectives.
Honored for contributions to environmental exploration journalism, specifically his decade-long documentation of climate impacts in Patagonian ecosystems.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Environment, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
