Craig Welch, NF ’07, and Michael Kirk, NF ’80, have received Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University awards. The duPont awards, announced in December, recognize excellence in broadcast, documentary, and digital journalism, with a special emphasis on serving the public.

Welch was honored for “Sea Change,” a feature  about the acidification of the Pacific Ocean published by The Seattle Times. “Sea Change” also received an award from the Online News Association (ONA) as well as one given by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine.

Kirk was honored for Frontline’s special “United States of Secrets,” which examined government monitoring practices that came to light with the Edward Snowden revelations; Kirk wrote, directed, and produced part one of this program.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Harvard professor and member of the Nieman Foundation’s advisory board, also received a duPont award for his documentary “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates Jr.” Gates produced, wrote, and presented the program which tells five centuries worth of African-American history–from Juan Garrido to Barack Obama–in six parts. It aired on PBS.