Melissa Sevigny

Science & Technology Reporter

Melissa grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where she fell in love with the ecology and geology of the Sonoran desert. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona and an M.FA. in Creative Writing and Environment from Iowa State University. Her first book, Mythical River, forthcoming from the University of Iowa Press, is about water issues in the Southwest. She has worked as a science communicator for NASA’s Phoenix Mars Scout Mission, the Water Resources Research Center, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Melissa relocated to Flagstaff in 2015 to join KNAU’s team. She enjoys hiking, fishing and reading fantasy novels.

Ways to Connect

Study: Antibodies From Other Coronaviruses May Help In Fight Against COVID-19

By • 11 hours ago
Northern Arizona University

A new study from the Translational Genomics Research Institute and Northern Arizona University suggests some people may have useful antibodies in their blood that can fight against COVID-19 from earlier, similar illnesses. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with lead author Dr. Jason Ladner about the research.


Arizona Sees Small But Growing Numbers Of Children, Teenagers Hospitalized For COVID-19

By • Jan 26, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Children rarely fall ill with COVID-19. But the number of children hospitalized for the disease is increasing in Arizona more rapidly than most other states. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.


Volunteers Bring Water To Wildlife In Midst Of Severe Drought

By • Jan 22, 2021
National Park Service

Arizona’s high country has seen some recent snowfall with more on the way. But much of the state remains in “exceptional” drought status. That’s been hard on wildlife. Natural ponds and stock tanks have dried up. A nonprofit group of hunters and conservationists is trying to help by refilling those watering holes for the benefit of elk and other animals. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with Steve Clark, executive director of the Arizona Elk Society, about the program.

Study: World’s Ecosystems Losing Ability To Soak Up Carbon As Planet Warms

By • Jan 18, 2021
Victor Leshyk and Katharyn Duffy

A new study published last week shows Earth’s ecosystems are fast losing their ability to soak up extra carbon from the atmosphere. Scientists collected data about how plants take up carbon all over the globe and found the warming planet could reach a critical tipping point in the next two or three decades, when many ecosystems no longer act as “sinks” for carbon and become sources instead. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with lead author Katharyn Duffy of Northern Arizona University about her findings.

Coconino County Sees High Demand For Coronavirus Vaccine

By • Jan 14, 2021
SELF Magazine

Coconino County has distributed almost five thousand doses of the coronavirus vaccine and is awaiting the next shipment. The county’s goal is to get a vaccine to everyone who wants one, but it’s currently struggling with high demand and a bottleneck in supply. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with Kim Musselman, interim director of Coconino County Health and Human Services.


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