Derek Willis

Derek Willis

Derek Willis is a lecturer in data and computational journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. He is one of the nation's leading data journalists and an experienced educator who joined the college in Fall 2021.14

Willis has over 25 years of experience winning awards at top news outlets like ProPublica, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.1 He focuses on teaching the next generation of journalists how to use data in innovative and compelling ways.1

Some key facts about Derek Willis:

• Originally from Pennsylvania, he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 19921
• He has significant classroom experience, having taught data and investigative journalism classes since 2004 at various universities1
• His hiring at UMD was made possible by an initiative to expand the use of data across disciplines1
• He has helped his news organizations win awards from organizations like the Online News Association, Knight Foundation, and Investigative Reporters & Editors1
• His LinkedIn username is derek-willis2

As a lecturer at Merrill College, Willis aims to get students excited about data and computational journalism.3 He is currently looking for amazing people to work with at the University of Maryland.5