Neil Swidey
Degrees
Tufts University, B.A.Expertise
Journalism, multimedia storytelling, history, society, higher educationProfile
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Neil Swidey is a bestselling author, magazine writer and multimedia journalist. He is the author of "Trapped Under the Sea," which was named one of the best books of the year by Amazon and Booklist, and "The Assist," which was named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post. He is also a coauthor of "Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy," which led to his work as a contributing analyst for NBC News. Now editor-at-large of the Boston Globe Magazine, Swidey has been a National Magazine Award finalist, an Edward R. Murrow Award winner, an Emmy Award Nominee (New England), and an eight-time winner of the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. His writing has won many other national awards, and has been featured in "The Best American Science Writing," "The Best American Crime Writing," and "The Best American Political Writing." Before joining the Brandeis faculty, he taught multimedia journalism at Tufts University, his alma mater. As a public speaker for the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau, he has keynoted conferences throughout the United States and Canada. As an outgrowth of his first book, he founded the Alray Scholars Program, a mentoring and scholarship nonprofit that gives first-generation college students from Boston a second chance to earn their degree. More info: www.neilswidey.com
Courses Taught
| JOUR | 109b | Reinventing Journalism for the 21st Century |
| JOUR | 113a | Long-form Journalism: Storytelling for Magazines and Podcasts |
| JOUR | 130b | Science Journalism, the Pandemic, and Disinformation |
Awards and Honors
Edward R. Murrow Award, from the national Radio Television Digital News Association, for "The Virus's Tale," short documentary and digital coverage of the spread of COVID-19. (2021)
Knight Journalism Program at MIT’s Victor K. McElheny Award for Science Journalism (finalist), for Boston Globe narrative investigation “The Virus’s Tale.” (2021)
Society for Features Journalism, multiple national awards: for Narrative Storytelling (separate awards for "The Virus's Tale" and "The Hijacking of Flight 1320"); for General Feature ("The Virus's Tale"); and for Best Special Section ("Dispatches"). (2021)
The Best American Essays, notable selection, for "The Madness of College Sports." (2020)
Paris Accords of Science Communication, National Press Foundation Fellow (2019)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Magazine Investigative Reporting, Society of Professional Journalists, for "The Madness of College Sports." (2019)
Journalism/Book Award, Boston Society of Civil Engineers, for "Trapped Under the Sea." (2017)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Magazine Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Trump’s Wall and Prescott Hall.” (2017)
Weidenbaum Center Award for Evidence-Based Journalism, Washington University in St. Louis, for “Hopes, Dreams, Debt: The College Loan Crisis.” (2017)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Magazine Writing, Society of Professional Journalists, for “The Reckoning: The Roots of ISIS.” (2016)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Magazine Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Hopes, Dreams, Debt: The College Loan Crisis.” (2016)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Magazine Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Food Allergy Fakers.” (2015)
Amazon Top 100 Books of the Year (Combined Fiction and Nonfiction List); Amazon’s Top 20 Nonfiction Books of the Year; Amazon’s Top 20 History Books of the Year; Amazon Canada’s Top Nonfiction Books of the Year, for "Trapped Under the Sea." (2014)
Apple/iTunes Best Book of the Month selection, for "Trapped Under the Sea." (2014)
Booklist “Editor’s Choice” best-of-the-year selection, for "Trapped Under the Sea." (2014)
Publishers Weekly Top Ten (Science) pick, for "Trapped Under the Sea." (2014)
The Best American Essays, notable selection, for “Restart: The Future of the Boston Marathon." (2014)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (2013)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Magazine Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Greetings from Gun Valley.” (2013)
Iowa High School Book Award (finalist), for "The Assist." (2012)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service in Magazine Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Boston vs. New York: The End Game.” (2012)
Rosie Book Award (Indiana High School Book Award), finalist, for "The Assist." (2011)
The Best American Sports Writing, notable selection, for “What We Lose When Everyone Wins.” (2011)
Documentary Video Award (co-producer; finalist), National Press Photographers Association, for “Trapped Under the Sea.” (2010)
Emmy Award Nominee (co-producer), National Academy of Arts and Sciences (New England), for “Trapped Under the Sea.” (2010)
Journalism Award, Boston Society of Civil Engineers, for “Trapped” and “The Way Out.” (2010)
National Magazine Award (“Ellie”) for Reporting (finalist), American Society of Magazine Editors, for “Trapped” and “The Way Out.” (2010)
Non-deadline Writing Award (finalist), American Society of Newspaper Editors, for “Trapped” and “The Way Out.” (2010)
The Best American Nonrequired Reading, notable selection, for "Trapped" and "The Way Out." (2010)
Media Award for Coverage of Family Issues, Council on Contemporary Families, for “Spying on the Text Generation.” (2009)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (2009)
Sigma Delta Chi Award for Feature Reporting, Society of Professional Journalists, for “Trapped” and “The Way Out.” (2009)
Best Books of the Year, Washington Post, for "The Assist." (2008)
Favorite Books of the Year, Rocky Mountain News, for "The Assist." (2008)
Narrative Feature Writing Award (finalist), American Society of Sunday and Features Editors. (2008)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (2008)
New Voices selection, Barnes & Noble, for "The Assist." (2008)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (2007)
The Best American Crime Reporting, for “The Inside Job.” (2007)
The Best American Political Writing, for “The Lessons of the Father: George & Mitt Romney.” (2007)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (finalist) (2006)
The Best American Science Writing, for “What Makes People Gay?” (2006)
National Headliner Award for Magazine Feature Writing (finalist) (2005)
The Best American Crime Writing, for “The Self-destruction of an M.D.” (2005)
Livingston Awards for Young Journalists (finalist), University of Michigan, for “The Costly Case of the Purple Pill.” (2003)
Scholarship
Swidey, Neil. Trapped Under the Sea: One Engineering Marvel, Five Men, and a Disaster Ten Miles into the Darkness. First ed. Crown Publishers/Random House, 2014.
Swidey, Neil. "Thinking Locally, Acting Globally." One Boston: Writers Celebrate the City They Love. Ed. Andrew Blauner. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
Swidey, Neil (co-author). Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy. First ed. Simon & Schuster, 2009.
Swidey, Neil. The Assist: Hoops, Hope, and the Game of Their Lives. First ed. Public Affairs, 2008.
Swidey, Neil. "The Inside Job." The Best American Crime Reporting. Ed. Linda Fairstein. New York: Harper Perennial, 2007
Swidey, Neil. "The Lessons of the Father." The Best American Political Writing. Ed. Royce Flippin. New York: Avalon, 2007
Swidey, Neil. "What Makes People Gay?." The Best American Science Writing. Ed. Atul Gawande. New York: Harper Perennial, 2006
Swidey, Neil. "The Self-destruction of an M.D.." The Best American Crime Writing. Ed. James Ellroy. New York: Harper Perennial, 2005