RJI Futures Lab senior editor to teach Python data science course at CAR conference in Chicago

This week, I’ll reunite with my California Civic Data Coalition colleagues to co-teach a six-hour, hands-on session at the annual Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference in Chicago. Our class, “First Python Notebook,” is for journalists who want to learn data science. We’ll show our students how to use computer-assisted techniques to report on money in state politics, but the skills could … Continued

Ergonomics: How to protect your career from desk injuries

Imagine coming to work and not being able to type a story on your keyboard because of intense pain in your wrist, elbow or fingers. It’s a scary thought. I never thought it could happen to me. I’m only 33 years old. But I’ve been suffering from tendonitis for several months. More than a year ago I began having pain in my left wrist periodically. But it usually came and disappeared within the same day. Then suddenly it became more noticeable, and gradually it became a constant companion. I love to write, but I almost dreaded coming to work because I didn’t want to be in pain. Like everyone I use my hands continually throughout the day, so it’s been a slow recovery process.

An ergonomic specialist reviewed my workstation and gave me suggestions for furniture that would help me become more ergonomic. She also suggested various assistive technology such as dictation to help alleviate some of the pain and give my wrist the rest it needed to recover.

But the pain will be worth it if I can help another person. I’m thankful I have a platform like the Reynolds Journalism Institute where I can help other journalists. I’ll share more about my experience in another post.

—JN

Winners announced in the 75th annual Pictures of the Year International competition

Adam Ferguson was named Photographer of the Year in the 75th Pictures of Year International competition at the Missouri School of Journalism. Nearly 40,000 images from nearly 100 countries were entered in this year’s competition. Top editors and photographers donated their time to review every entry over a three-week period of judging. For the first … Continued

RJI provides interactive experience for True/False Film Fest visitors with augmented reality project

True/False Film Fest visitors in Columbia, Missouri, will have an opportunity to reminisce about previous festivals in an interactive experience with the help of a mobile app. Filmgoers can find window clings featuring augmented reality codes, each with a lightning bolt icon, at the film venues, box office and other areas frequented during the festival. There are 14 codes. Each is a different color to represent the … Continued

Mobile video: Make it snackable

Alisha Ebrahimji, digital journalist at WFAA-TV in Dallas, speaks about creating unique content in the field for social platforms and what mobile tools are useful when working on deadline.

What a California newspaper is learning as it experiments with podcasting

We asked newsrooms and ad agencies what they are doing today that they weren’t doing a year ago. Turns out quite a lot! This RJI series highlights some of the innovations and experiments we discovered and shares what leaders are learning along the way. We call it The What’s New? Q&A.

Mobile video: The Dumas

Linda Doles grew up watching and helping her parents manage the Dumas apartment building in Columbia, Missouri. Today she manages it with the help of her own family.