This summer, two recent graduates affiliated with Planet Forward will be honing their reporting and multimedia skills in the field while learning firsthand about groundbreaking scientific research — and what a beloved lake means to the surrounding community. 

As Summer Fellows at the Chautauqua Institution, founded in 1874 in the southwestern corner of New York State, these storytellers will transform scientific research on aquatic ecology into engaging visual storytelling

Guinevere MacLowry, a 2026 journalism & photojournalism graduate of the George Washington University and former Planet Forward Intern, is this year’s Multimedia Fellow. Jenna Outcalt, a 2026 journalism graduate of the University of Connecticut and 2025-2026 Planet Forward Correspondent, will serve as a Reporting Fellow.

“We are thrilled to have Planet Forward students in Chautauqua, on the ground and in the field, working directly with staff and scientists to report on the environmental and sustainability issues happening right in their community,” said Kim Ossi, Planet Forward Associate Director. “Our students are taking all they have learned in their academic programs and by working with us and putting it into practice at this historic institution.”

Over the course of 10 weeks, MacLowry and Outcalt will work as staff writers/videographers for the Chautauquan Daily newspaper while also executing a summer-long storytelling project focused on scientific research happening at Chautauqua Lake. The students will produce written stories, photography, and videos for both print and online publication.

Highlighting cutting-edge research 

Chautauqua Lake is a 13,156-acre lake that is the centerpiece of the Chautauqua Institution and the broader region. 

“The Chautauqua Institution and our partners are leading one of the most ambitious lake ecology projects in the country, but few have heard of it,” said Mark Wenzler, Director of the Chautauqua Climate Change Initiative.

Together, the two Summer Fellows will delve deep into a five-year lake science research project known as The Jefferson Project, which was established in 2021 in partnership with IBM Research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the State University of New York. The Jefferson Project is using some of the most advanced technology and methodology ever deployed to understand and end harmful algae blooms that plague Chautauqua Lake and freshwater lakes globally. 

“Our Planet Forward fellows are helping us get the word out through print and online stories, photos, and videos. We hope their work inspires both our community and others around the country who are dealing with similar issues,” Wenzler said.

MacLowry and Outcalt will follow research scientists both on the lake and in the lab to report on how the Jefferson Project got started, why it matters, and how it is contributing to conservation work far beyond New York State. 

“There is just so much to learn about the lake, it’s not hard to get excited about this kind of work,” MacLowry said.

Community-based, intergenerational storytelling

In addition to reporting on the technical and scientific innovations happening at Chautauqua Lake, MacLowry and Outcalt will explore the very human side of ecological conservation — and tell stories about why it matters. 

As they live and work in Chautauqua, our Summer Fellows will get to know not only the lake itself, but also the communities that treasure it. The Fellows’ work also seeks to highlight what Chautauqua Lake means to the generations of families that have lived, worked, and recreated there. Through interviews with cross-generational pairs, MacLowry and Outcalt will produce stories about the past, present, and future of the lake from the perspectives of those who know it most intimately.

“It’s great to spend time not only with such fantastic scientists, but also with a whole community that cares so deeply about the lake and its health,” Outcalt said.

Follow along

MacLowry and Outcalt are embedded into the team at Chautauqua Institution from mid-June through the end of August, publishing frequently with the Chautauquan Daily and creating weekly vertical videos to build a following and create a body of work. The Fellowship will culminate in a capstone journalism product in the fall of 2026. 

Follow their work on Planet Forward’s Instagram, PlanetForward.org, and on the Chatauquan Daily website.

The Planet Forward Chautauqua Summer Reporting Fellowship is generously supported by the Chautauqua Institution‘s sustainability initiative. Chautauqua is a nonprofit educational center where approximately 7,500 persons are in residence on any day during a nine-week summer season, and which hosts more than 100,000 attending public events.