Summary
Jennifer Kent is a multimedia storyteller with an accomplished career in visual design, creative communications and marketing. Since discovering the field of science communication, Kent has dedicated her career to translating complex, high-impact research into accurate and compelling stories for broad consumption.
Kent’s work often combines several mediums, including documentary film, editorial writing and design, web and graphic design, podcasting and photography. Her work has been recognized and awarded by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Sigma Xi, the Cordillera International Film Festival, the National Science Teachers Association and the Sci-On! Film Festival.
As a media relations professional, Kent has earned national coverage of important science in publications such as National Geographic, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Associated Press, National Public Radio and others.
Kent joined the Reynolds School faculty in 2024 as director of the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science and Reynolds Associate Professor of Practice in Science Communication.
Prior to joining the faculty, Kent spent just shy of seven years at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno as Marketing and Communications Manager for the College of Science and Director of Marketing and Communications for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Earlier employers include the mental health and addiction treatment-focused publishing company, the Change Companies; Vail Resorts and the New York City-based nonprofit, Charity: Water.
Courses taught
- JOUR 756: Storytelling II: Multimedia
- JOUR 496/696: Scientific Communication Masterclass
Recent work
- Editor and Art Director, Live a Life of Discovery magazine, 2018-2023; Bronze Award, Annual Magazines, and Best of District VII Awards, 2023 issued by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE); Silver Award, Annual Magazines, 2019, issued by CASE
- Director/Editor, “Fertile Waters,” 2020; Official Selection, Cordillera International Film Festival, 2020; Best Nature Documentary, SciOn! Film Festival, 2020; Official Selection, Sigma Xi STEM Art and Film Festival, 2019
- Director/Editor, “Mineral Monday” video series, 2018-2022; Bronze Award, Social Media, 2019, issued by CASE; shared by the National Science Teachers Association as a free resource for K-12 STEM teachers
- Director/Editor, “Natural selection linked to spatial memory in wild mountain chickadee research,” 2019; Best Short Film, Sigma Xi STEM Art and Film Festival, 2019
- Director/Editor, “Orugas,” 2020
- Co-Chair, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno Bicycle Working Group, 2022-current
- Secretary, Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance, 2023-current
Education
- M.A. Journalism, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
- B.A. Digital New Media and Design, New York University