ProPublica has selected Kenneth Morales as the inaugural David Burnham-TRAC Data Fellow. In this two-year fellowship, Morales will work with the Data and News Applications team to shed light on both the inner workings of government and the impact of federal policy.
The fellowship is named in honor of investigative journalist David Burnham, who spent 50 years reporting on local, state and federal executive corruption, and was made possible by funding from David Sobel and Beth Critchley.
“David Burnham was a pioneering investigative journalist who believed in speaking truth to power. An early and accomplished advocate of rigorous data collection and analysis, he provided cutting-edge reporting on law enforcement and intelligence communities,” Sobel said. “These skills and techniques are so important today, and ProPublica is the obvious home for the work that continues his legacy.”
Mr. Morales most recently served as a senior data scientist at the New York State Attorney General’s Office. His casework there included a wide range of issues at the firm, including investigations into the firearms industry, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and lead exposure in public schools, along with law enforcement civil rights investigations and antitrust litigation. He also served as the lead data analyst for the agency’s report on fake comments submitted to the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed net neutrality rulemaking. Prior to taking on this role, Morales conducted research at Johns Hopkins University, studying opioid use in the nascent fentanyl crisis.
“Kenneth brings a passion for public interest work and extensive experience conducting the rigorous analysis required to stand up in court,” said Ken Schwenke, senior editor for data and news applications. “As government action becomes more important, federal data becomes increasingly scarce, and we are grateful to be able to bring together more people to cover it.”
“For years, I have admired ProPublica’s investigative reporting, its independence, and its commitment to holding those in power accountable,” Morales said. “I have a passion for the intersection of data science and social justice and am thrilled to have been selected to bring those skills to bear at this critical time for America.”
