(415) 760-8058
Work
From Art to Zoology and Alabama to Ziguinchor (Senegal)
Writing and video projects from my years as a newspaper reporter, freelancer and university communications pro
Stanford Stories
Tales of derrring-do, mystery and wonder (aka environmental research)...
Water Solutions
As the world's population grows, so does the demand for – and threat to – the planet's freshwater supply. Stanford researchers are developing a range of promising solutions to freshwater challenges around the globe...
Plastic-Eating Worms
An ongoing study by Stanford engineers, in collaboration with researchers in China, shows that common mealworms can safely biodegrade various types of plastic...
Making a Living, Sustainably
Stanford initiative reconciles perceived conflicts between human prosperity and protection of natural resources...
Deconstruction
Creeping silently through the bedroom window, dawn shatters with a mechanical bleating. The alarm clock will not be ignored. It is Saturday, May 6, just another morning in Menes Daniel's ten-hour-a-day, six-day work week, or so Daniel thinks...
What's Keeping Union Square Alive?
It’s a weekday in Union Square, and passersby pause at the corner of Grant and Geary streets to glance at a lithe blonde in velvety green shorts over black leggings...
A Matter of Loyalty
It’s a brisk October day in 1955. Three young men in University of Denver football uniforms stand on a sideline, their coach hovering nearby. One of the players, a tall, buzz-cut lineman wearing No. 78 and a wide grin, holds the game ball...
Fragile Connections
Yuriko Yamaguchi’s studio feels like a tree house. A highly regarded conceptual sculptor whose work hangs in numerous galleries and museums, Yamaguchi works in a space above the garage of her suburban Virginia house. She occasionally takes tea breaks on a small deck attached to the high-ceilinged room, gazing out at the thick, trail-threaded woods...
R.I.P. Ernesto
This is Ernesto's story.
I don't know where it begins because I didn't know him then. When we met, Ernesto was an old man, a veteran of the streets around my South Beach apartment but clearly once an indoor cat — his front claws had been clipped. Someone had pushed him out and closed the door for good...
Bio
The Back Story
Rob Jordan is a journalist, author and communications professional.
As a reporter, editor and videographer, he has covered a world of issues from political scandal in rural Pennsylvania to innovative ecotourism in Costa Rica.
As a web editor, he has helped design and manage websites for a range of clients, including the U.S. House of Representatives and the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.
As a researcher and copywriter, he has developed persuasive and informative campaigns for various corporations and nonprofit groups, from Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Rob’s topical areas have ranged from architecture and culture to the environment and social justice. His writing, editing and multimedia work have spanned critical columns, in-depth features, videos, animations and other formats.
Rob is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Connecticut College.
“Rob is one of those rare writers who combines strong reporting skills with a vivid storytelling style.
Sara Clemence
Travel Editor, Off Duty, Wall Street Journal
“Rob brings seasoned reporting skills, compelling writing, and enthusiasm to his stories. It’s always a pleasure to work with him.”
Jennifer Flowers
Associate Editor, Travel + Leisure
“Rob meets deadlines, checks his facts and almost never makes copy errors. But the great thing about Rob is his versatility. There are not a lot of writers who can write both news and marketing copy, in so many different styles and forms. Rob is a go-to guy whether its a 300-word destination review, a longer narrative or an after-dinner speech. He can nail a funny, whimsical voice, which is pretty rare.”
Josh Schonwald
Author, The Taste of Tomorrow: Dispatches from the Future of Food
Professional History
Work Experience
Stanford University (Woods Institute for the Environment) - Communications Writer
March 2012 -
Raise visibility of environment and sustainability research at Stanford
Develop content for web properties, research briefs, press releases, etc.
Travel + Leisure; Fodor’s; Dwell; Miami Herald; BlackBook; etc. - Freelance Writer
July 2007 - March 2012
Contributed features, profiles and columns on newsmakers, culture, environment, etc.
Inter-American Association for Environmental Defense - Writer / Editor
April 2010 - March 2012
Developed persuasive and informative content for international organization
Edited press releases, media updates and other promotional material
U.S. House of Representatives (CAO) - Communications Specialist
August 2009 - August 2011
Wrote and edited content for House.gov (1 million+ visitors/month) and House intranet
Crafted executive speeches, press releases and other media-focused communications
University of Chicago (National Opinion Research Center) - Coauthor
July 2007 - May 2008
Field-researched and wrote book on innovative study of poverty and financial risk in Asia
Miami New Times - Reporter
October 2005 - July 2007
Covered range of issues, from environment to social justice, in feature-length stories
Reviews
"… a brilliant read. The human aspect that is more than often missing from economic research books is one of the most important features… will appeal to readers from a wide variety of disciplines, and to both academic and nonacademic readers alike." - London School of Economics Review of Books
"... an excellent reminder for all development economists that vigorous and persistent research entrepreneurship focused on economic data collection pays in terms of new knowledge gained and, with some luck, in terms of better economic policies too." - Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture
"... fascinating... enlightening for economists, anthropologists, and sociologists, and a must for whoever wants to embark in field surveys for development economics." - Patrick Rey, Professor of Economics, Toulouse School of Economics
"... very interesting and will be valuable to researchers who are thinking about running such a project themselves. Graduate-level students in economics, sociology, geography, and political science will benefit from reading this book." - Amrita Daniere, Vice Dean, Graduate, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Mississauga
