Photo courtesy of the University of Virginia
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Communication and Information is proud to announce Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author, and educator Chris Mooney as the School of Journalism and Media’s next Julia G. and Alfred G. Hill Chair of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Medical Writing. Mooney will assume the role August 1, 2026.
Established in 1987 through the generosity of Julia G. and Alfred G. Hill, the Hill Chair of Excellence is one of the most prestigious academic positions at UT. It was created to advance public understanding of complex scientific, technological, environmental, and medical issues by fostering excellence in teaching, research, and outreach. The position also honors the legacy of The Oak Ridger, a newspaper founded by Alfred Hill that played a critical role in covering science and technology during the Manhattan Project era. Over the years, the Hill Chair has attracted renowned journalists and educators who have shaped science communication both locally and globally. The Hill family also established an endowment for the Hill Lecture series, bringing well-known science journalists to Knoxville to speak on issues in science, society, and media.
“Chris Mooney represents the best of our field,” said Amy Jo Coffey, director of the School of Journalism and Media. “We’re thrilled to welcome him to the faculty. His reporting shines a light on the critical science issues of our day, and he will inspire and train our students to do the same, while educating and equipping the public.”
Pulitzer-Winning Reporting and Data-Driven Journalism
Mooney’s appointment reflects his career-long dedication to science communication and his experience training the next generation of journalists.
“This position lies at the intersection of newspapers and the advancement of scientific communication,” Mooney said. “I really value newspapers, and they’re in a challenging position. My whole career has been about communicating scientific information accurately so people can make use of it in their lives and in their decisions. When I learned about this position and its history with The Oak Ridger, it just clicked for me.”
Mooney first explored the power of science and storytelling under the influence of his grandfather, a prominent limnologist at Arizona State University. That early curiosity evolved into more than two decades of reporting at the forefront of environmental and climate journalism. At The Washington Post, he became the newsroom’s first dedicated climate change reporter and later helped lead its climate coverage. There, he played a central role in the landmark explanatory project 2°C: Beyond the Limit, a 12-part series that combined original data analysis, interactive graphics, and narratives from communities experiencing climate impacts firsthand. The project earned the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting and became a benchmark for collaborative, data-driven climate journalism.
“That project changed my career,” Mooney said. “We learned you can find news and provide real revelations for readers even in data that scientists already have. It also taught me how to use data to guide journalistic investigation, figuring out which stories have been overlooked and where new insights can emerge.”
Covering the South and Connections to UT
Mooney continues to publish widely. He is a contributor to network news, where his recent reporting has focused on climate data and sea-level rise, and he writes regularly through his Substack newsletter, ReportEarth. Mooney was part of the reporting team behind “The Drowning South,” a major Washington Post investigative project examining accelerating sea-level rise across the American South. Published in 2024, the series earned a 2025 Covering Climate Now Journalism Award, one of the most prestigious honors in climate reporting, recognizing excellence in accuracy, depth, and impact.
His reporting has also taken him to Tennessee. When at the Post, Mooney reported a major front-page story from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, examining nuclear energy and public safety.
On a personal note, Mooney attended high school in New Orleans with College of Communication and Information alumnus and Professor of Practice Peyton Manning and played as a running back on the football team alongside the future NFL star.
Educating the Next Generation of Science Journalists
At the University of Virginia, where he currently serves as an assistant professor of practice and practitioner fellow, Mooney developed and teaches Environmental Data Journalism, a course that trains students to analyze data, create visualizations, and apply computational tools to real-world reporting.
“I felt a strong personal resonance when I learned about the Hill Chair,” he said. “It combines my career-long interests in science communication and teaching—it’s the kind of role I’ve been preparing for throughout my professional life.”
Mooney plans to help students navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape shaped by shrinking newsrooms, the rise of social media, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. “I think it’s critical to train young journalists—and scientists wishing to improve their communication skills—to adapt to an uncertain media world,” he said. “I want students to learn not just science writing, but how to create high-quality, data-driven journalism that serves communities across Tennessee and beyond.”
Alongside his reporting career, Mooney has also taught at Yale and trained more than 1,000 scientists through the National Science Foundation’s Science: Becoming the Messenger program. He has also hosted or co-hosted the science podcasts Point of Inquiry and Inquiring Minds.
Continuing the Hill Chair Legacy
Mooney will be the school’s third Hill Chair, following Mark Littmann, professor emeritus and former Hill Chair of Excellence, who held the position for 33 years. Littmann said Mooney’s appointment is an incredible milestone for the university and its students.
“Congratulations to Chris Mooney on his appointment as the new Hill Chair of Excellence in Science Writing,” Littmann said. “And congratulations to my colleagues in the School of Journalism and Media for finding such a distinguished writer who will be able to propel science writing at the University of Tennessee to new heights.”
For Mooney, the Hill Chair represents both a continuation of tradition and an opportunity to innovate—preparing students for a changing media landscape, elevating science journalism in Tennessee, and ensuring that communities have access to accurate, meaningful reporting.
“I’m very honored to be named in this distinguished position,” Mooney said. “I aim to live up to the tradition that is embodied in the Hill family, The Oak Ridger, and the coverage of science in Tennessee. Ultimately, I hope to empower students to succeed and to show that strong science journalism can truly make a difference in the lives of communities.”