M.A. Aaron McKinnon

Senior Science Communication Specialist

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Mountain View, California

August 2022 – Present

Senior Science Communication Specialist

European Commission: EU Space Program’s Copernicus Services, Ispra, Italy

March 2019 – July 2022

Stakeholder Engagement Lead, Expert Consultant

European Commission: REEBUILD, remote

October 2019 – November 2021

Graduate Research Assistant for Science Communication

Integrated Climate System Analysis and Prediction (CliSAP), Hamburg, Germany

December 2017 – February 2019

Video Production Specialist

Tam Communications, Scotts Valley, California

August 2015 – May 2016

Media Production Coordinator

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California

July 2014 – August 2015

Master of Arts in Journalism, Media, and Globalization, February 2019

Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark and Hamburg University, Germany

Erasmus Mundus Joint Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, March 2013

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Science communication specialist at KBR for NASA Ames with a combined seven years of demonstrated success in the field of Earth Observation and space science. Employing social science insights, public speaking experience, and journalistic practices to engage diverse stakeholder communities in science for policymaking.

Developing a science communication strategy (session organizer). December 2023. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting. San Francisco, U.S.A.

Creating policy briefs on scientific information. July 2023. The University of Munich. Munich, Germany.

Communicating green chemistry. February 2023. University of California Berkely. Berkely, U.S.A.

Science literacy in a digital world. March 2023. United Nations Headquarters. New York City, U.S.A.

Untapped EU Space Program synergies for comprehensive development reports (Moderator). June 2022. EU Development Days. Brussels, Belgium.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Author Series (Moderator). May 2022. EU Policy Making Hub. Online.

Earth Observation to protect planet and people (Moderator). October 2020. EU Green Week. Online.

Cultural Mediation in Travel Shows. May 2019. International Communication Association Conference. Washington D.C., U.S.A.

Communicating Nuclear Safeguards. May 2019. ESARDA Annual Meeting Symposium. Stresa, Italy.

Marine Debris in the Media. April 2019. UCSB Plastics Conference. Santa Barbara, U.S.A.

Environmental Communication: Plastic Pollution. May 2018. International Communication Association Conference. Prague, Czech Republic.

McKinnon, A. (2021) "Journalism Needs to Get Political about Plastic Pollution: French vs US Approaches", Topić, M. and Lodorfos, G. (Ed.) The Sustainability Debate (Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability, Vol. 14), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 191-204. ISBN: 978-1-80043-779-1

McKinnon, A. (2021) “Cultural Mediation in Travel Shows: A qualitative discourse analysis on the othering of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown”, Lucia Vodanovic (Ed.) Lifestyle Journalism: Social Media, Experience and Design, Routledge, pp 66-76. ISBN: 978-1-35112-338-9

Master of Arts in Journalism, Media, and Globalization, February 2019

Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark and Hamburg University, Germany

Erasmus Mundus Joint Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, March 2013

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA