Student Excellence in Written Reporting
Ryan Doan-Nguyen, “Napalm, Birthed in Harvard's Basement,” The Harvard Crimson
ABOUT THE WORK: In the basement of a laboratory, a team of Harvard scientists developed the infamous chemical weapon that set fire to Vietnam. While the Vietnam War and the destruction napalm wrought were once again in spotlight because of last year’s 50th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph depicting a naked girl burned by napalm, the role of Harvard—which prides itself on “Veritas,” or truth—in developing the weapon has largely remained hidden.
The author writes: “The Crimson has reported on chemist Louis Fieser, who invented napalm, in decades past. But these articles were brief and celebratory, and nearly all failed to connect Harvard—which collaborated with the military and provided funding—to napalm's development. Coverage of Fieser and napalm by The Crimson and major American newspapers have long treated the two in isolation: highlighting on one hand Fieser’s contributions to cancer research, and on the other, napalm’s ties to the U.S. government. Before my work was published, mentions to University affiliates—students, professors, and alumni alike—brought shock. The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology declined my request for information and an interview. When I visited the laboratories to locate the exact room napalm was produced in, there was not a single trace—no plaque or acknowledgement—of its existence there.
“‘Napalm, Birthed in Harvard’s Basement’ thus stands as a landmark investigation, redefining cultural history with an original narrative that focuses on the overlooked. It raises questions about the ethical lapses of Harvard scientists and their disregard for Asian populations, given archival evidence such as bomb test photos showing sleeping Japanese families. Additionally, the article features an exclusive, original interview with UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Phan Thị Kim Phúc, history’s most famous napalm attack survivor.”
Ryan Doan-Nguyen is a rising senior at Harvard University and the current AAJA New England student representative. As The Harvard Crimson’s former police reporter-turned-Metro Desk Editor, he trains a team of student journalists, curates pitches, and edits Boston-Cambridge news coverage. As a magazine staff writer, he conducts investigations with the aim to reveal lost histories and amplify unheard voices. Ryan’s work has appeared in The LA Public Press, The Yappie, The Journal of Asian American Studies, The New York Times, and elsewhere. He has interned at Harvard Magazine and the White House Initiative on AA and NHPIs, and was a 2023 AAJA Voices Fellow and an NJAMF Digital Storytelling Fellow. This summer and fall, Ryan will cover race and ethnicity as an intern at The Associated Press.
Judges’ comments: “This story is personal, shows deep reporting and is smart journalism. It unearths a story that has been sitting in the archives untouched and is a great example of a reporter digging tirelessly to reveal something important. This story is also on an underreported part of American history. We loved how Ryan sensitively handled this topic, while keeping the reader engrossed. We also believe this is reporting with empathy and great impact.”
Honorable mention: Reia Li, “Meet Richard Gee, the adored, wise-cracking owner of a liquor store with deep roots in Tucson Chinese history,” Arizona Luminaria
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