Burping bovines and brilliant scientists—this Washington Post assignment took me to photograph the baby cows and the team working to curb methane emissions through gene editing.
Scientist May Have Found a Radical Solution for Making Your Hamburger Less Bad for the Planet/ Washington Post
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This Washington Post assignment was all about gene editing, methane burps, and baby cows. The story explored how CRISPR technology could help reduce methane emissions from cows, with huge potential for fighting climate change.
The first day took me to UC Davis, where it was one of the hottest days of the year—brutal. Schlepping gear across campus in that kind of heat is no joke, but I got to meet and photograph some incredibly cute baby cows, which more than made up for it. I spent time with scientists Ermias Kebreab and Matthias Hess, who are leading research on how gene editing might make cows less gassy (and the planet a little healthier).
The second day brought me to the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), where I learned how the research happening at Davis is being further investigated to understand the microbiology and ecology of the cow’s rumen. It was fascinating to see how this collaboration pushes the science forward.
The real highlight was photographing Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna, the pioneer behind CRISPR gene editing. As someone with a background in biology, it was surreal to meet and photograph her—like a full-circle moment from my undergrad days.
Photographing science can be tricky since so much of the magic happens at a microscopic level, but that’s what I love about it. My goal was to bring visual energy to the labs, the researchers, and even the cows—balancing the precision of the work with a sense of curiosity and excitement.
This Washington Post assignment was all about gene editing, methane burps, and baby cows. The story explored how CRISPR technology could help reduce methane emissions from cows, with huge potential for fighting climate change.
The first day took me to UC Davis, where it was one of the hottest days of the year—brutal. Schlepping gear across campus in that kind of heat is no joke, but I got to meet and photograph some incredibly cute baby cows, which more than made up for it. I spent time with scientists Ermias Kebreab and Matthias Hess, who are leading research on how gene editing might make cows less gassy (and the planet a little healthier).
The second day brought me to the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), where I learned how the research happening at Davis is being further investigated to understand the microbiology and ecology of the cow’s rumen. It was fascinating to see how this collaboration pushes the science forward.
The real highlight was photographing Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna, the pioneer behind CRISPR gene editing. As someone with a background in biology, it was surreal to meet and photograph her—like a full-circle moment from my undergrad days.
Photographing science can be tricky since so much of the magic happens at a microscopic level, but that’s what I love about it. My goal was to bring visual energy to the labs, the researchers, and even the cows—balancing the precision of the work with a sense of curiosity and excitement.
