Propublica hired Nick McMillan as a calculation journalist for the Data and News Apps team. In this role, McMillan uses technology and data in innovative ways to find and report stories that are otherwise out of reach.
“Nick has an impressive track record of unlocking report passes using cutting-edge technology,” said Ken Schwencke, senior editor of data and news applications. “I’m excited to be able to use these skills to retain the power to explain in Propublica.”
McMillan came to Propublica from NPR and was a data journalist for the research team. NPR has built a tool that combines reporting and data analysis to transform RAW records into evidence of research. His research included the development of a custom optical character recognition program to analyze over 7,000 government work task files. This helped to reveal how the federal program was killing thousands of wildlife with little accountability. He also co-reported a story that uncovered how a power line operated by Edison in Southern California caused a new fire as the crew fought existing fires and created tools that processed and transcribed over 2,000 hours of initial responsive radio into a searchable timeline. Before NPR, he worked on a Newsy investigative documentary, contributing to the reporting on white supremacists in the US military and the long-term impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rican schoolchildren.
The stories that MacMillan worked on have been recognized nationwide for honors such as the National Press Award and the Edward R. Murrow Award.
“Propublica led the way in which data and calculation methodologies were applied to reveal power abuse,” says McMillan. “I am grateful for the opportunity to join the team and contribute to the research that serves the public.”
