Chris Bentley

Hi! I'm Chris Bentley, a Chicago-based journalist, photographer and documentary filmmaker.

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I'm a writer, editor, photographer and filmmaker with a masters degree in journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University, where I was a 2010-11 Comer Scholar for climate change reporting, and a 2011-12 ISEN Cluster Fellow studying sustainability and energy.   My work has appeared in The New York Times' Green blog, WBEZ / Chicago Public Media, ScienceDaily, New Scientist, Next American City, The Architect's Newspaper, Chicagoist, Time Out Chicago, The Chicago Tribune's TribLocal, AOL's Patch.com, The Northwest Indiana Times, Chicago Jazz Magazine, The Cornell Daily Sun and elsewhere.   I am available for freelance work. Resume and clips available by request. You can find links to writing, video and photography, as well as professional news and updates at my website: cabentley.com   Specialties: writing, editing, reporting, blogging, science writing, digital SLR photography and photo editing, web production for news websites, filmmaking and video production / editing   —Chris Bentley

Staff writer at Chicagoist

2011 - 2013

Contributed regularly, blogging about local news, arts and culture. Drove more than 25,000 monthly unique visitors to website. Covered politics, crime, energy, and other topics for news website.

Online Production Intern at Time Out Chicago

June 2011 - August 2011

Working with Drupal-based content management system, compiled magazine and online content into interactive feature packages, contributed writing and photography to AudioFile blog.

Copy editor, fact-checker, assistant at Josh Schonwald

October 2010 - August 2011

Assisted journalist Josh Schonwald with forthcoming HarperCollins book project. Fact-checked, conducted interviews to gather and verify information.

Communications intern at Clean Energy Trust

January 2011 - May 2011

www.cleanenergytrust.org

Researcher at UCLA Department of Earth and Space Sciences

June 2010 - September 2010

Working under Prof. Aradhna Tripati to study historical discrepancies in the isotopic fractionation of oxygen (the Dole effect) through fossils of benthic foraminifera.

Student Researcher / Lab Assistant at Cornell University Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering

May 2009 - May 2010

-Contributing to a feasibility study for a proposed biodigester in Lewis county, NY. -Collected samples of locally available biomass for methane production lab trials.

Science Editor at Cornell Daily Sun

March 2009 - March 2010

•Generated and assigned content for the paper’s Science section. •Edited written and visual content for print and web. •Oversaw science writer training process, doubled staff membership. •Contributed writing, photography and page design for print edition and blogs.

Communications Assistant at CALS Alumni Affairs, Development, and Communications

June 2009 - August 2009

-Writing news / science stories as assigned. -Developing story ideas for a range of media including web, print, and promotional materials. -Photographing campus events and news as assigned. -Copy editing, fact-checking, and proofreading.

Conservation Intern / Population Monitor at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

May 2007 - August 2007

-Monitored population and habitat of endangered species Lycaeides melissa samuelis (Karner Blue butterfly). -Conducted regular counts and site surveys within Saratoga West conservation area. -Collected wild plants for captive populations. -Provided formal report of field notes for conservation database.

freelance reporter at Freelance Journalist and editor

August 2012

Contributed to homicide reporting project for startup local news website, DNAinfo Chicago. Wrote features and news stories for publications including The New York Times Green blog, Next American City and DNAinfo Chicago.

Midwest Editor at Architect's Newspaper

May 2012

Oversaw production of Midwest Edition for monthly newspaper covering architecture, development, interior design and urban infrastructure. Contributed news stories, features and reviews for print editions and website. Managed freelancers, edited copy and directed coverage.

Intern at Kartemquin Films

January 2012

Assisted with transcription, outreach and post-production for documentary films. Wrote press releases and stories for website; managed newsletter.

Reporter at Chicago Public Media

January 2013

Reporting for Curious City. Ran environmental blog for WBEZ.org.

Northwestern University

2010 – 2011

M.S.

Cornell University

2006 – 2010

B.S.

Concentration: Natural Resources

writing, reading, photography, homebrewing, jazz, bass, guitar, beer, documentary films, public radio