Deborah Nelson

Deborah Nelson "has covered a variety of beats and produced more than two dozen investigative projects at small, medium and large dailies over the past 30 years. She joined the University of Maryland faculty in August, after five years as Washington investigative editor for the Los Angeles Times, where she oversaw a seven-person team and co-authored a series of articles in August 2006 based on declassified U.S. war crimes records from the Vietnam War.

"Nelson also reported for The Washington Post, The Seattle Times and The Chicago Sun-Times. She has produced more than two-dozen award-winning series and investigated a wide range of topics, including scientific misconduct, domestic violence, police brutality, juvenile crime, urban blight and environmental issues. Her national awards include the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for a series on HUD's Indian Housing office.

"She is former president of Investigative Reporters and Editors and on the board of the Fund for Investigative Journalism. She has a law degree from DePaul University in Chicago and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University."

• President, Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma