During her fellowship, Nessa, former deputy managing editor of editorial products and innovations at the Associated Press in New York, will be working to develop “tools to help the public understand data visualizations and heighten visual literacy in news and media outlets.”
Other fellows will work on improving accuracy in reporting on Islam, raising the profile of indigenous perspectives on the news, engaging citizens in local food coverage, and getting news quickly to communities hit by disaster. They also will be developing tools to help journalists create high-quality animated editorial cartoons, blog live on mobile platforms, gain relevant coding and data skills, and better connect with millennials and the changing U.S. demographic.
“This group of U.S. Knight Fellows is easily the most diversified ever, with fellows coming from daily newspapers, online publications, tech companies, and even an academic institution,” said Knight Fellowships Director James Bettinger. “This wide range of backgrounds and specialties reflects the variety and depth of expertise and commitment that journalism needs right now.”
Among the benefits fellows receive during the 10-month program are a $65,000 stipend, paid Stanford tuition, and a housing allowance.