In our new series of posts we’re taking a look at some of our past students, where they’ve gone, and what they’re up to. First up is Nikita Vashisth, one of the graduates from the first year of our course in 2014/2015.
Two years after leaving the course, Nikita is working with a cutting-edge Indian data journalism team. One of the projects she’s involved in is to measure air particles to help save lives in cities affected by pollution – something she initially proposed in her major coursework. Nikita said:
“I’m working as a data journalist at IndiaSpend, India’s first data journalism initiative. One of the projects I am currently working on is #Breathe, an air quality monitoring network. We’re analyzing pm2.5 and pm10 levels across Indian cities to understand city-wide high and lows. The vision of the project is to democratize data critical to saving thousands of lives and engage citizens and other stakeholders in a conversation towards solving the life-threatening issue of air pollution.”
And her view of her studies? Nikita added:
“Being a part of the first COMPJ batch in 2014 was a whirlwind! I was introduced to COMSCI and it opened a whole new world of opportunities in journalism for me. The course takes a practical learning approach in digital journalism, data analysis and coding—which made it all the more fun. The Visual Communication & Information Design and Digital Investigation modules were especially engaging and lead me to understanding the power of data and design in effective storytelling. A big shout out to Glyn and Martin, my course directors/lecturers/mentors whose immense support and knowledge helped me get past the nerve-wracking learning curve by the end of the year.”
We can’t wait to see what Nikita gets up to in the future, and look forward to seeing the projects she comes up with.