Policy & Investigative Reports
Our spring-quarter course in Policy and Investigative Reporting, taught by veteran prize-winning journalists Peter Aldhous (freelance) and Martha Mendoza (Associated Press), deepens each student's reporting toolkit. The substantive articles require students to consult public records, submit requests to public agencies under the Freedom of Information Act, obtain and analyze original data, visualize the data accessibly, and conduct often challenging interviews. A prominent guest editor - most recently, investigative reporter Liza Gross from Inside Climate News - also critiques each piece. The stories below are examples of published assignments. (Some stories contain additional reporting conducted after the students graduated.)
“Arthritis patients resort to an inconvenient Medicare workaround to avoid pricey drugs” by Joseph Howlett ‘24 and Andrea Tamayo ‘24 (STAT, August 15, 2024)
“Santa Cruz County high schools have inconsistent concussion care” by Anna Marie Yanny ‘23 and Luis Melicio Zambrano ‘23 (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 13, 2023)
“Energy storage in Moss Landing: A smoky challenge to a new chapter” by Graycen Wheeler ‘22 and McKenzie Prillaman ‘22 (Monterey Herald, June 12, 2022)
“How Santa Cruz County Schools’ Vaccine Push Paid Off” by Isabella Backman ‘21 and Nikk Ogasa ‘21 (Good Times, July 20, 2021)
“A Volcano, a Fishing Boat, and a Narrow Escape” by Jennifer Leman ‘18 (The Atlantic, July 5, 2021)
"West Coast fishermen Have Few Options Against Sea Lions" by Katie Brown '19 and Helen Santoro '19 (High Country News, August 22, 2019)
"California Sea Lions Keep Getting Shot by Fishermen" by Annie Roth '18 and Jeremy Rehm '18 (National Geographic, August 17, 2018)
"The Science and Controversy Behind Horse Racing's Most Popular Race Day Drug" by Kimberly Hickok (Inside Science News Service, June 7, 2018)
"Hillside berry farms trigger erosion, speed flooding on central coast" by Sarah Derouin '17 and Emma Hiolski '17 (San Jose Mercury News, December 2, 2017)
"These Scientists Got To See Their Competitors' Research Through Public Records Requests" by Teresa L. Carey '17 and Aylin Woodward '17 (BuzzFeed News, September 2, 2017)
"California's farm communities mobilize to ban pesticide" by Sarah McQuate '17 (San Jose Mercury News, August 19, 2017)
"Will banning trade in fins help endangered sharks? Experts are divided" by Ula Chrobak '17 and Sukee Bennett '17 (Mongabay, July 21, 2017)
"California's struggle over the chemical BPA continues" by Ramin Skibba '16 (San Jose Mercury News, July 2, 2016)
"State to address pesticide use near schools" by Leslie Willoughby '15 and Kerry Klein '15 (Salinas Californian, May 29, 2015)
"Lyme disease often overlooked in Northern California" by Molly Sharlach '14 (San Jose Mercury News, July 12, 2014)
"Breast-feeding rates depend largely on hospital where a woman gives birth" by Jessica Shugart '13 (San Jose Mercury News, July 8, 2013)
"A mixed bag: Are California's bans on plastic bags working?" by Paul Gabrielsen '13 (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 16, 2013)
"Climate war looms over US coal exports to China" by Sarah Jane Keller '12 (New Scientist, October 11, 2012) (subscription required)
"In Vietnamese community, treating taboos on cancer" by Erin Loury '12 (Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2012)
"FDA calls for 'judicious' antibiotic use on farms" by Beth Marie Mole '12 (San Jose Mercury News, May 7, 2012)
"Is stress to blame for preterm births?" by Mark Johnson and Tia Ghose '10 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 16, 2011)
"Cyclists Find No Safety in Numbers" by John Cannon '08 (Bicycle Times, May 27, 2009)
"Is local food really miles better?" by Roberta Kwok '08 (Salon, June 24, 2008)
