Professor Peter Laufer obtained his PhD in Cultural Studies from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2009. Since then, he has established a successful career as an independent journalist, an author with many books to his credit, and he is now the James Wallace Chair Professor of Journalism at the University of Oregon.

Tell us about your current role, and how you got to where you are.

My Leeds Metropolitan/Beckett doctorate led directly to my role a year later as the charter James Wallace Chair Professor at the University of Oregon. It is a dream position: From the glorious American Pacific Northwest, I teach next generation journalists at a Research One, American Association of Universities school on a glorious campus (see the film "Animal House" which was shot at the UO!). I conduct research that's led to several books on journalism, migration, identity, and human-other animals’ interface.

How did your course help you to get to where you are now?

Without my doctorate I would not have qualified for my position at Oregon. With guidance from Professors Pettitt and Washbourne, I developed research and writing skills that directly led my work being published in academic journals.

What would you say is your proudest achievement to date?

Oh, it is always so difficult to answer questions seeking a self-serving superlative! Maybe the best (and most modest answer) is to paraphrase the signs we find approaching the Great Pacific Northwest spectacular wildlands: Do no harm. I must say, though, I am proud of my published work: books of journalism criticism such as Slow News: A Manifesto for the Critical News Consumer and Up Against the Wall: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border along with my human-other animals’ relationships books The Dangerous World of Butterflies and Dreaming in Turtle.

How have you seen the landscape of journalism change over the years?

This question requires a book-length answer. And I've done so, at least in part, with my book Slow News and my leadership of the Slow News Movement. Arguably all what seems like change equates to nothing is different except for the technology. The immediacy of news (and "news") delivery today means those practising misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda disguised as journalism make use of much more efficient tools for their dirty work than could their predecessors. But that same technology results in credible, quality journalism within reach of most of us. I argue that the onus of news literacy is on the news consumer. Know your sources. And seek multiple sources. Or, as my boss at NBC News preached, "If your mother says she loves you, check it."

What does it take to become a successful independent journalist?

Would it be too flip to answer with the one word: luck? Probably, because it is, in reality, more than luck as much as luck seems to play into success. I would tend to replace luck with tenacity, perseverance, and skill. Add the ability to see news everywhere and the talent to turn it into a compelling story with lasting impact beyond a glance.

Which aspect of your work do you enjoy the most: teaching, research, reporting, writing, or something else?

I must say all of the above with the "something else" being grabbing an audience and fomenting positive change. Teaching and reporting can be (should be?) theatre, and I must admit to love grabbing and holding an audience.

What would you suggest to any student studying journalism?

Read. Read ink on paper, not just pixels. Read what journalists wrote in the 19th and 20th centuries. Quickly learn today's journalism tools and then widely study the humanities. Talk to real people on real streets, not just avatars on screens. Practise interviewing by engaging strangers in conversation. Learn how to tell engaging stories. Develop your situation awareness and exercise your curiosity.

Why did you choose your course at Leeds Beckett?

University of Sussex Emeritus Professor and author David Hendy recommended what was then Leeds Metropolitan to me. He directed me toward Leeds Professors Lance Pettitt and Neal Washbourne. Hendy's advice was spot on—changed my life (for the better, of course!).

What advice would you give to a student about to begin studying at Leeds Beckett?

Make sure you leave room in your jammed agenda for some fun. Remember that your professors are approachable. It's probably a good idea to read the assigned books. Proofread your papers and then proofread them again. If your eyes glaze over, rewrite them. My mantra for my students is, "Have fun. Make money. Change the world. Not necessarily in that order."