Graycen Wheeler reports on water issues for KOSU public radio, based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. A scientist-turned-journalist, she has written about science and technology for Symmetry, Science, Mongabay, among others, and covered local news, particularly housing and environmental issues, for the Monterey Herald, The Mercury News and Santa Cruz Local. Wheeler grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and started reporting while she was a graduate researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. There, she wrote and edited for Science Buffs, a student-run STEM blog, and hosted a podcast, “Buffs Talk Science.” After earning a doctorate in biochemistry, Wheeler completed a master’s in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In her free time, Wheeler loves solving crossword puzzles and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Beat: Rural Oklahoma water issues
This beat investigates the water quality of Oklahoma's rural water systems and private wells, and also the state's cannabis industry—there are 8,630 cannabis farms—which is changing agriculture and life in rural communities.