Harvard’s Nieman Foundation for Journalism has named Henry Chu ’90 as its curator following an extensive search, the University announced on Thursday. Chu, a distinguished foreign correspondent and editor, will step into the permanent role on Aug. 3.
“I am thrilled and honored to be appointed curator of the Nieman Foundation,” said Chu, who has served as the organization’s interim director since July 2025, in a statement. “Journalism is more important than ever but is also facing grave challenges. I’m grateful for Harvard’s commitment to Nieman and look forward to working with the campus community, Nieman Fellows and alumni, and news industry leaders to help journalism and journalists thrive.”
Chu will be the ninth curator in the Nieman Foundation’s history. Founded in 1938, the organization offers yearlong fellowships to experienced journalists for academic study at Harvard, alongside other initiatives dedicated to the future of the practice. More than 1,700 journalists have completed fellowships—including Chu, a Nieman Fellow during the 2014-15 academic year.
“Henry Chu brings an ideal set of skills and experiences to his role,” said John Harwood, chair of the Nieman Foundation’s advisory board and a former Washington correspondent for CNN and CNBC. “He has deep knowledge of the University and can speak with authority about the foundation and the immense challenges journalism faces at this moment.”
Chu graduated from Harvard with an A.B. in History and Literature, before serving most of his reporting career at the Los Angeles Times. He started out as a local correspondent, covering politics, transportation, and education. Chu was part of two L.A. Times teams that won Pulitzer Prizes for breaking news coverage in 1995 and 1998. As an international journalist, he has reported from more than 30 countries on six continents, covering stories including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the election of Pope Francis, Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and Brexit.
Chu moved back to the United States and served as the Nieman Foundation’s deputy curator from July 2024 through June 2025. He has been leading the organization since former curator Ann Marie Lipinski stepped down last July.
As curator, Chu hopes to leverage the Nieman Foundation’s network and connections with other parts of the University to tackle “important issues confronting journalism” today, including artificial intelligence, press freedom, polarization, and media literacy, according to a statement from the organization. He will also oversee programming, select and mentor Nieman Fellows, and manage the organization’s three publications: Nieman Lab, Nieman Reports, and Nieman Storyboard.
