Emily Guskin, GVPT and COMM alumna (BA, 2006), and her colleagues at the Washington Post were recognized on Monday, May 6th with a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for their immersive series on the AR-15 rifle in American politics and culture. The Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting award is, according to their website, given “for a distinguished example of reporting on national affairs, using any available journalistic tool.” Winners are awarded a $15,000 cash prize.  

The immersive series takes reporting on mass shootings in a new direction by focusing on the political and cultural impact of the rifle most popular for such shootings. The series includes eye-opening reporting on the impact AR-15s have on the human body, families, communities, and the nation. Guskin, a polling analyst specializing in public opinion about politics, elections and public policy, contributed to the series and is credited as the lead author on an article titled “Why do Americans own AR-15s?” which used polling data from a nationally representative survey by The Washington Post and Ipsos, which asked nearly 400 AR-15 owners about their reasons for having the weapon and how often they use it. 

Before joining The Post in 2016, Emily was a research manager at APCO Worldwide and prior to that, she was a research analyst at the Pew Research Center's Journalism Project. She is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and credits her advocacy for sound methodology to her time at UMD. She is now a leader in her field, tackling pressing issues such as women’s rights, racial justice, political views, and healthcare through rigorous polling and excellent writing. She focuses on the impact of her work and on telling the stories of the American public.