Dean Russell is a senior producer for WBUR Podcasts. Russell is an award-winning journalist covering science, health, technology and equity.
His work has been published by the Center for Public Integrity, Grist, Hakai Magazine, The Guardian, The Nation, NPR, Mother Jones, Smithsonian, The Texas Tribune, Type Investigations and others.
He was an editor for THE CITY's "MISSING THEM" project to document COVID-19's effect on communities in New York City. He was also a '20 Columbia Journalism Investigations fellow and an associate producer for NPR and WBUR's Here & Now and WBUR's On Point.
He also wrote and reported for "MISSING THEM," which received the News Leaders Association's 2021 Punch Sulzberger Innovator of the Year Award and ONA's 2021 Knight Award for Public Service. His investigation of a New York State-run nursing home earned an EPPY award for best collaborative investigation in 2021.
His reporting for the Center for Public Integrity and Columbia Journalism Investigations' series "Hidden Epidemics" helped earn first prize for for investigative journalism in the Society of Professional Journalists, D.C. Chapter, 2021 Dateline awards, and for public-health reporting in the 2020 Association of Health Care Journalists awards.
In 2019, he earned a master of arts degree in science reporting from Columbia Journalism School.
Recently published
25 | Refuse
Joule rejects the deal, keeps the pocket watch, and makes for the machine. What happens next? We’ll be honest with you. Things fall apart.
24 | Across the City
Sure, you chose to go after Nico. That doesn’t mean everyone has to agree. An argument splits the group, and the mission gets complicated in Sky Island’s carnival of delights....
23 | Accept
Joule trades her ride home to save her mom and friends. That might spell doom for the planet’s future, but she's got plenty of time to figure that out. It’s...
22 | Bright Tower
With no idea how to find Nico, Joule sticks to the plan to save her mom. The funny thing about family reunions? They’re never as normal as you want them...
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21 | Gulf of Maine
After fleeing the Sac, the gang sails northeast into the vaster ocean. A nearing storm foretells destruction. Also, their boat sinks.
20 | Nakambe River
A stroke of luck helps the group reach a new continent as they search for Sky Island. There’s a lot of sand, but oases are real, right? Right?
19 | Cape Cod Bay
On their quest for the elusive Sky Island, the trio follows a staticky signal to turbulent waters. They find a field of long-forgotten giants.
Part III: 18 | Rebel
Joule and Cutthroat plan their rescue mission at the rebels’ home base. Nico tries to be positive. Buggy listens to the radio. P.S. Yes, tomatoes are fruits. Please do not...
16 | Lies
Joule doesn’t trust Cap’n Cutthroat as far as she can throw him — which is not far. (He’s huge!) So she makes something up. The bad news? She’s not the...