Science + environmental storyteller
Maddie Burakoff
About Me
Hi! My name is Maddie Burakoff and I'm a journalist with a passion for telling stories about science and the natural world.
I'm currently working as an associate editor at Audubon magazine, where I write and edit stories for the print issue and website. In my own reporting, I've gotten to dive into crucial environmental issues that affect both wildlife and people; lay out the stakes of politics and policy for ecosystems; and explore cool science finds and cultural rabbit holes.
I previously worked as a science reporter for the Associated Press, where I got to dig into fascinating questions like: What stories can ancient DNA uncover about our human history and the world that came before? Why do mosquitoes always come for me? And what does it mean to "hear" gravitational waves? Before that, I worked as a digital reporter for Spectrum News 1 in Milwaukee as part of the Report for America program. There, I covered public health and the COVID-19 pandemic along with other breaking news and environmental features. I've also freelanced for the New York Times COVID-19 data team and interned with Smithsonian magazine. And I'm a proud advisory board member for The Uproot Project, a network dedicated to uplifting diverse voices in environmental journalism.
So — thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to reach out if there's anything I can do for you!
Featured Work
How the Common Loon’s Eerie Call Took Over Pop Music (Audubon)
"It's hard to stay relevant in the music industry. But one vocalist has done it for decades—crossing genres, keeping up with trends, and collaborating with some of the biggest hitmakers in the field. We're talking, of course, about the Common Loon. The red-eyed waterbird is known for giving off a range of eerie cries that echo across wild lakes throughout its breeding range in the northern United States and Canada."
On Public Lands, Federal Staffing Chaos Threatens Fragile Ecosystems (Audubon)
"Now the Trump administration’s deep cuts to the federal workforce have turned those long-running challenges into a full-blown crisis, advocates say. 'The fat is gone. The muscle is gone,' says Desirée Sorensen-Groves, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. 'They’re a skeleton now, and you’re losing the bones.'"
North Carolina’s Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People? (Audubon)
"After decades of use with little regulation, PFAS have made their way to just about every corner of the world—and the chemicals’ very design means there’s little hope of getting rid of them entirely. As health concerns about this pollution grow, federal, state, and local officials are increasingly working to limit PFAS and clean them up. Meanwhile, scientists like Addison are trying to figure out exactly what PFAS are doing to life on Earth, now and in the long term."
Get in touch!
maddieburakoff (at) gmail (dot) com