A faculty member in the College of Communications has produced a photo essay about people impacted by a controversial and timely matter in Pennsylvania.
John Beale, a senior lecturer and former chief photographer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, captured “Faces of The Marcellus Shale” for the Winter 2012 edition of Pittsburgh Quarterly magazine.
In the past several years, ancient organic matter trapped more than a mile beneath the surface of the Earth has changed life in western Pennsylvania. Vast deposits of natural gas deep in rock, known collectively as Marcellus Shale, have brought many changes. They include an economic boom to many (from landowners to supporting businesses), emotional debates about environmental impact for others and obvious challenges in terms of infrastructure throughout the region.
Beale, who teaches introductory and advanced courses in photojournalism, focused on nearly two dozen stakeholders for the photo essay — everyone from gas company employees and opponents of natural gas drilling to activists, politicians, researchers and residents of communities who operate or work at local businesses that have been impacted by the uptick in business as a result of drilling.
“We’re proud to have John in the classroom sharing his expertise with students, and we’re also proud of the work he does with projects like this when he has the time,” said Ford Risley, head of the Department of Journalism. “His work provides a model, something to which students can aspire, and it’s a testament to the talent of the people we have teaching. We have many faculty members who participate in such ‘professional scholarship’ and that’s good for our program.”
Beale’s photography has been honored with numerous national awards, including two Sigma Delta Chi Awards, the Community Service Photojournalism Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors and honored as Photo of the Year by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2010, he received the College of Communications Deans’ Excellence Award for Integrated Scholarship.
Steve Sampsell, Penn State University
