planet forward’s ongoing partnership with lindblad expeditions makes this opportunity possible for students who get to not only experience an amazing corner of the world on state-of-the-art vessels, but also work hands-on with planet forward staff to produce stories on the intriguing issues facing different parts of the world, and the exciting solutions being developed to address our planet’s most dire challenges.

you can read the winners’ stories from iceland in our series, transforming iceland: where sustainability meets growth.

storyfest is open to all undergraduate and graduate students around the world. this year’s categories will include best video, best multimedia story, and best written story. podcasts and audio stories will be considered under the multimedia category. two winners will be selected in each category, one who is a media/communications major or minor, and one who is not a media/communications major (e.g., in a stem field, law, business, etc.).

you can enter storyfest 2024 now for a chance to win a trip with planet forward and lindblad expeditions to either the galápagos or iceland in the summer of 2024.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. icelandair also generously provided airfare to the competition winners. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions and icelandair for their support of our project.

this summer, i took a trip aboard lindblad expeditions’ national geographic resolution to explore the ways in which the company is working to make ecotourism more sustainable. while traveling up and down the western coast of iceland, i learned about the ways that food is sourced, served and disposed of on a 138 passenger lindblad ship. while a completely sustainable cruise experience might still be out of reach for the largest of these ships, responsibility is always scalable.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

fishing is evolving in iceland, and the country continues to learn from and adapt to the looming threat of climate change and overfishing. i witnessed a condensed timeline of this shift, from visiting a century-old abandoned fish factory, to the forefront of industry innovation in the nation’s capital. this story is a portrait of iceland’s adaptability, and commitment to preserving not just an industry but a piece of their cultural identity.

click on the presentation below to see the full story.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

click the presentation below to see photos of the incredible people and landscapes that made this a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience and storytelling expedition.

in this video, storyfest winner tyler hickman reflects on the history of the fishing industry in iceland and what modern-day fishers can learn from the past.

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for supporting the students’ air travel.

in this video, storyfest winner cassidy hough, of the michigan state university, reflects on traditional icelandic cuisine and what that means for her as a vegetarian. . 

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for sponsoring the students’ air travel.

in this video, storyfest winner halley hughes, of the university of arizona, reflects on the beauty, charisma, and dwindling populations of arctic puffins. 

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for sponsoring the students’ air travel.

in this video, storyfest winner gabe allen, of the university of colorado, boulder, reflects on the relationship between glaciers and humans’ dependency on waterways.

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for sponsoring the students’ air travel.

in this video, storyfest winner vidya muthupillai, of george washington university, reflects on the ecology of iceland and how flora endemic to her hometown of houston have made their way to the valleys of a vastly different landscape.

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for sponsoring the students’ air travel.

winners will travel to iceland for a five-day voyage with lindblad expeditions aboard the newest polar vessel, national geographic resolution. together with a dedicated team of naturalists, photo instructors, an undersea specialist, and a wellness instructor, the winners will explore iceland’s remote fjords and volcanic isles, while learning how iceland is addressing conservation and natural resource protection topics in the face of climate change.

five winners in best scalable innovation, best science narrative, best use of science or data, most compelling character, and most creative story were selected by our panel of ten independent judges. thank you to judging chair phil frank, plus alison milligan, francesca edralin, tik root, don holzworth, larry evans, gina murphy-darling, dena seidel, jake meyers, and gina mccrackin!

there was one story submitted this year that seemed to defy our storyfest categories. this story received the inaugural planet forward staff award for its excellent use of science and data, variety of interviews, and incorporation of original artwork.

explore the best in student-produced written journalism, environmental video, and science communication podcasting below!

best scalable innovation

in colorado, the soil beneath solar panels is ripe for growing crops

by gabe allen & tyler hickman | the university of colorado, boulder

the judges say,

“gabe and tyler’s essay on agrivoltaics stood out for highlighting an innovative energy-saving technology that allows farmers to preserve a tradition.” 

best science narrative

solutions on the half-shell: healing florida’s waters with clams

by katie delk | university of florida

the judges say,

“katie’s story allows us to sensitively enter a threatened coastal ecosystem through the community directly impacted – the very people who take real action to protect the natural world they depend upon.”

best use of science or data

perennial grains are the future of sustainable agriculture

by cassidy hough | michigan state university

the judges say,

“cassidy’s delivery style was unique, fun, and compelling. by guiding us through historical practices, and introducing us to practical possibilities for the future she left us inspired and wanting to learn more.”

most compelling character

nebraska sandhills hint changing tides in agriculture

by vidya muthupillai | george washington university

the judges say,

“this story introduces a rancher at the forefront of efforts to change the way grazing animals are raised. it is focused on the harm to soil caused by current ranching practices and offers an alternative that repairs the soils and improves the health of the animals.”

most creative story

reconciliación en mi río

by halley hughes | university of arizona

the judges say,

“not only did halley communicate the importance of cleaning up plastic pollution in her local watershed through a video, she also built a symbolic sculpture to tell the story of how human-caused changes to the environment have had a noticeable and lasting impact on the biodiversity of the santa cruz river.”

planet forward staff award

reinventing a sustainable crab fishery

by sachi kitajima mulkey | university of california, berkeley

the judges say,

“by asking insightful questions and skillfully capturing the voices and experiences of crab fishers, sachi was able to weave together a powerful story that inspires an emotional connection with her audience. the addition of her own unique illustrations added an extra layer of depth and meaning to the story, creating a more immersive and engaging experience for readers.”