Journalists to Speak About Importance of Journalism in World's Largest Democracies

Laura Ungar, an investigative journalist with 26 years of reporting experience, is coming to the University of Kentucky on Monday, March 20, to address students in the College of Communication and Information about the current journalistic climate and the need for more high-impact journalism.

Joined by her colleague Sujoy Dhar, the pair will give a lecture, "Making a Global Difference: The need for high-impact journalism in the world’s largest democracies." The lecture will focus on the importance and practice of journalism in two rapidly changing democracies and the need for more in-depth media, particularly in regards to investigative, health, environmental and other high-impact journalism that makes a difference.

The lecture will take place at 10 a.m., March 20, in the Niles Gallery on the first floor of the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. Following the lecture, the two will visit a set of journalism classes focused on investigating and reporting and a health communication class to discuss how technology is transforming medicine.

Ungar met Dhar in 2007 while on a month-long fellowship in India. They found common ground over their shared experiences going to universities and talking with students, which spurred their working relationship. In 2009, they began traveling to universities together to discuss the need for global connection and understanding in the media between developed nations like the U.S. and developing ones like India. Ungar and Dhar have visited the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University and Bellarmine University among others in the Kentucky/Indiana region as well as universities in New Delhi and Kolkata, India.

Ungar is currently based at the Courier-Journal in Louisville and is a member of USA TODAY’S national investigative team. She specializes in health care investigations and has previously worked on stories about lead in water, cervical cancer in India and prescription drug abuse in Kentucky. She has won more than 30 national, regional and local awards along with six fellowships.

Dhar is a senior journalist and editor of an independent news service in India and was a former correspondent with Reuters. In addition, he freelances for many media outlets around the world such as The Washington Times and the Global Times. He specializes in the environment, health, human rights, geo-politics and human interest stories.