The rigor to assess fact from fiction. The courage to connect across differences. The power of a good question over a hot take. How can we incorporate the core principles of journalism into the 21st century classroom? NPR's Emily Kwong (host of Short Wave and Inheriting) offers insights from her 15-year career in public media, and reflects upon how academic spaces are strongholds for the free press.
Emily Kwong (she/her) is an NPR audio journalist working at the crossroads of sociopolitical history, family memory, and science.
Since 2021, Emily has also been the co-host of Short Wave, NPR's flagship science show sharing new discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines. Short Wave met a crucial need for science-based information during the Coronavirus pandemic and won the 2021 Ambie Award for Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast. She is also the host and co-creator of Inheriting, a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families. The first season won the 2025 Ambie Award for Best Society and Culture Podcast, the Silver Signal Award for Best History Podcast, and the 2025 RFK Journalism Award in Radio. Emily got her start as a youth media instructor at WNYC’s Radio Rookies and a daily reporter at the community radio station KCAW in Sitka, Alaska. For four years, she chased stories up fishing boats and onto volcanoes, broadcasting to an island community.