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

COVID-19 Update With Dr. Paul Keim: Variants And Vaccines

By • Apr 7, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A massive vaccination effort against the coronavirus disease is underway worldwide. In Arizona, more than 2 million people have received at least one dose. It’s a race against emerging disease variants which in some cases reduce the effectiveness of vaccines or make the disease more deadly. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke about the latest science with Dr. Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University.


Study: Nursing Home Deaths Due To COVID Show Racial Disparities

By • Mar 30, 2021
Northern Counties Health Care

The coronavirus pandemic has struck nursing homes particularly hard, and a new study from Northern Arizona University shows how race plays a role in mortality rates. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.


Local Businesses Reflect On Difficult Pandemic Year

By • Mar 18, 2021
SearchNet Media from Tucson, Arizona

It’s been one year since Arizona restaurants and gyms shut their doors due to state-mandated closures at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny checked back in with some Flagstaff businesses to see how they’ve fared during a difficult year.


Earth Notes: Chaco Chocolate

By • Mar 17, 2021
American Museum of Natural History

A thousand years ago, the Ancestral Puebloans in Chaco Canyon crafted cylinder-shaped drinking vessels. They look like tall water glasses decorated with beautiful triangles and zigzag lines. Archeologists think these jars had a special purpose: they were used for drinking chocolate.

Families Reflect On An Exhausting Year Of School At Home

By & • Mar 12, 2021
Kayla Gundrum

Schools across the country are beginning to resume in-person classes. The return marks one year since the coronavirus pandemic catapulted students and teachers out of their classrooms, and dropped them in front of their home computers. KNAU checked in with three families to see how they managed this past year. 

Kayla Gundrum and Odin

Kayla: I’m Kayla.

Odin: I’m Odin.

Pages