FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Fred Miller has two versions of how his career took him from newspapering in Paragould to being science editor for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. One of them involves lawn mowing. The other has the approval of his wife, Debbie.

This year, Fred and Debbie marked their 39th anniversary, having met at Arkansas State University, where Fred earned a B.S. in journalism. The two of them started at the Paragould Daily Press in 1984. He retires from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture on July 31.

"In fact, we interviewed there separately before we were married, got hired, got married, and showed up to work as a couple," Fred said. "They took it in stride — gave us a vacuum cleaner for a wedding gift."

What the family owners of the paper couldn't give in salary, they made up for by "encouraging a passion for doing the news" and community service. Debbie worked there as well but left to earn a master's degree in journalism.

Mowing and moving

"When we were in Paragould, we bought a house and moved into a neighborhood where every week, all the men got out and mowed their yards," he said. "And over time, there was a change when all the women started taking over the lawn mowing. It got to the point where I was the only man mowing, and Debbie said, 'I'm not mowing the yard.' So, we moved to Batesville."

Debbie worked her way up to editor at the Batesville Daily Guard. At a time when journalism jobs were hard to find thanks to the merger of the Arkansas Gazette and the Arkansas Democrat, "That's when I ended up making the leap over to the 'other side'," Fred said. "And went to work in public relations for Lyon College. It was a fine place to work."

After they sold the house in Paragould, "we finally bought a house in Batesville that we lived in for three years. And there was the same situation when we moved in. All the men mowed their own yards," Fred said.

"But it began to change, and the women started taking over that responsibility. Debbie opened her eyes one day and realized she was the only wife on the block who wasn't mowing the yard and said, 'We've got to move.' So, we moved" to Northwest Arkansas, he said.

They wound up in Bentonville, where Debbie worked for the Benton County Daily Record. Fred had applied for a graphic designer job with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station but was instead encouraged to apply for the science editor's job.

Before journalism, Fred saw Cold War service in the U.S. Navy from 1976-1980, tracking Soviet submarines as a sonar technician or "ping jockey."

Drawn to the science

Fred discovered his interest in writing science stories while at the Paragould Daily Press, thanks to a story on a comet with a local amateur astronomer whose observations were taken seriously by professionals.

Research stories enabled "a little bit of the geeky side to come out," Fred said. "I always see myself as a translator. Scientists speak in their own technical jargon, and my job has been to make it understandable to everyone else.

"I always have to remember that the truth of the research is key," he said, adding that he enjoys the challenge of "trying to present research to non-scientists in a way that engages them and explains — shows them why it's important."

"In the last decade, or two decades, it seems like it's been increasingly important to show why science is important in terms of learning knowledge," he said. "I think a lot more people trust it if they have at least some understanding of how it works."

Just as important as the scientific method is, are the people behind the science.

"And trying to show people that scientists are real people, who have lives just like our readers do," Fred said. "This is the profession they've chosen to keep building on a base of knowledge."

In his retirement, Fred said, he hopes to travel more, but won't be putting away either his computer or his camera.

"I've been writing nonfiction for a living, but I write fiction for fun," he said. "I tried writing a mystery one time, but I'm convinced it's not really my genre.

"Science fiction is fun because you can make some stuff up, but I like to try and at least cleave to the science," he said. And while the scientists he works with now probably shouldn't expect to show up as characters in his sci-fi, Fred said that "doing this job has guided how far I'm willing to go for ideas. I'll try to keep it in the realm of plausibility."

Fred's award-winning photography has illustrated his and others' stories for years.

"I've been interested in photography since high school. So, it's not something I'm going to be giving up now," he said.

Rewarding career

Dave Edmark, who was head of Ag Communications Services before his retirement, said that "Fred has always been the full package that anyone should want in a communications professional.

"His writing and reporting on complex projects in agricultural sciences, plus his ability to shoot photo illustrations and video, are unequaled around here," Edmark said. "Our faculty sources respected his abilities and were always ready to work with him. When you had Fred on any assignment, everyone could rest assured that something top-flight was coming."

Nick Kordsmeier, head of communications for the experiment station, said that "Fred's impact on agricultural research communications in Arkansas is immeasurable. Beyond his many professional accomplishments in writing and photography, Fred is one of the kindest, funniest and most genuine people I've had the pleasure of working with. We are incredibly grateful for Fred's contributions to our team and wish him a long and happy retirement."

After 25 years and countless awards, Fred decided it was time to do something different.

"There's a point at which you realize. Wow! I've really been here a long time. I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere, even having been born and grown up in Chicago."

"It's just good people that work here. They may not all word it the same, but they're all working for the good of the people of Arkansas and the people of our country, really, because the applications are broader than just within the state," he said. "They're just looking for ways to improve people's lives through good and safe food.

"I don't always see my contribution in the light of that happening," Fred said. "But then I'll hear from faculty, who say, 'that story that you wrote has got people interested; it's got my phone ringing off the wall, or my email blowing up because there are people who want to know about this.'

"It's nice to know that it has an impact," Fred said.

​To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: aaes.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at @ArkAgResearch.

To learn about Extension Programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @AR_Extension.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system. The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.