How a Berkeley-trained journalist reports with data

In today’s newsrooms, some stories begin with a dataset. Lydia Sidhom (B.A. ‘25), a data journalist at The Washington Post uses a unique reporting skill, data analytics, to verify information and surface stories that might otherwise remain hidden.

Sidhom’s role at the intersection of traditional journalism and data science is increasingly essential to modern reporting. Rather than focusing primarily on interviews or on-the-ground observation, she focuses on numbers, public records and primary-source documents. It is a form of technical detective work: testing hunches and assessing what the available evidence can reliably support.

“Data is just another source in your story,” Sidhom said. “Just as you would go to an expert or a member of the public to get a quote, you're going to the data and asking it a question.”

Sidhom’s work reflects a continuation of the interdisciplinary foundation developed in her undergraduate education at UC Berkeley, where data science is designed to be applied across a wide range of fields. Her role highlights how technical skills combined with domain expertise are reshaping how fields operate.

Reporting that data makes possible

Much of a data journalist’s work centers on stories that can be enhanced with data.

Sidhom cited a project examining how well universities fulfilled commitments to diversify their faculty over the past decade. Broad, systemic questions like this one are best answered with a mix of data analysis and expertise brought by the beat reporters Sidhom works with. 

“You need to be able to web scrape and collect data, run analytics and communicate the findings,” Sidhom said. “Without those skills, many stories just wouldn't be told.”

The role also requires significant technical expertise to transform inaccessible or hidden information into verifiable evidence. When a fellow reporter obtained images containing internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documents, it was Sidhom’s task to convert those static images into a dataset that could be analyzed.

The resulting database became a resource for local journalists and researchers and was the first to reveal evidence of the agency’s plans to expand detention centers. 

Interrogating the data

Using data to shape a public-facing narrative also requires careful judgment.

Sidhom emphasized that while data can appear authoritative and neutral, datasets and the analysis performed are shaped by human choices. 

“At Berkeley, we always talked about needing to document your assumptions because they change how the data is presented and can be analyzed,” said Sidhom. 

Sidhom explained that at The Washington Post, this mindset is reinforced through a rigorous review process. Before publication, a second data reporter examines every line of code to ensure assumptions are named and that no leaps are taken in analysis. Domain-specific scholars and experts are also often consulted, 

Why data journalism matters

While the broader journalism job market remains tight, Sidhom notes that data journalists are in demand. Sidhom’s skillset has allowed her to work on in-depth reporting early in her career. 

However, she emphasizes the importance of a true interdisciplinary approach. As a student evaluating candidates for data journalist positions at The Daily Californian, she found that technical skill alone was not enough. Successful applicants also needed a strong interest in storytelling and reporting. 

The work, she says, requires resilience and a belief in its mission. 

“Someone once told me you don’t become a journalist by mistake. You have to believe journalism is a good thing for the world,” said Sidhom. “Data is how I contribute to that.”