Shankar Vedantam

Shankar Vedantam is an Indian American journalist and author, known for his work on NPR's Hidden Brain podcast, which explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, often in relation to social psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience, as discussed by experts like Daniel Kahneman and Jonathan Haidt. He has also written for The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Science (journal), covering topics such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology, and has been featured on PBS NewsHour and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His work often intersects with that of other notable journalists, including Nicholas Kristof and Sarah Kendzior. Vedantam's writing and reporting have been influenced by the work of Malcolm Gladwell and Atul Gawande.

● Early Life and Education

Shankar Vedantam was born in India and moved to the United States to pursue higher education, attending University of Bombay and later earning a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he was influenced by the work of Joseph Pulitzer and Edward R. Murrow. During his time at Columbia, he was exposed to the work of prominent journalists, including Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and developed an interest in investigative journalism. Vedantam's early life and education were also shaped by his experiences growing up in Mumbai, where he was influenced by the work of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

● Career

Vedantam began his career in journalism at The Washington Post, where he worked as a science writer, covering topics such as genetics, epidemiology, and public health, and was influenced by the work of Laurie Garrett and Deborah Blum. He later moved to NPR, where he became a correspondent and host of the Hidden Brain podcast, which explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, often in relation to social psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience, as discussed by experts like Daniel Ariely and Brené Brown. His work on Hidden Brain has been praised by Ira Glass and Sarah Kendzior, and has been featured on The TED Radio Hour and On the Media. Vedantam has also worked with other notable journalists, including Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, and has been influenced by the work of The Guardian and The Intercept.

● Works

Vedantam has written several books, including The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives, which explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, and has been praised by Steven Pinker and Jonathan Haidt. He has also written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Harper's Magazine, covering topics such as politics, economics, and culture, and has been influenced by the work of The New York Review of Books and The London Review of Books. Vedantam's writing has been compared to that of Malcolm Gladwell and Atul Gawande, and has been featured on The Colbert Report and The Rachel Maddow Show. His work has also been influenced by the research of Stanford University and Harvard University, and has been recognized by The Pulitzer Prize and The National Book Award.

● Awards and Recognition

Vedantam has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and has been recognized by The National Academy of Sciences and The American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and has been praised by Nicholas Kristof and Sarah Kendzior. Vedantam's work has been recognized by The White House and The United States Congress, and has been featured on CNN and MSNBC. He has also been influenced by the work of The Brookings Institution and The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

● Personal Life

Vedantam lives in Washington, D.C. and is married to Carolyn Cole, a journalist and author, and has been influenced by the work of The Washington Post and The New York Times. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and has been recognized by The National Press Club and The Overseas Press Club. Vedantam's personal life has been shaped by his experiences growing up in India and his later move to the United States, and has been influenced by the work of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.. He has also been influenced by the research of University of California, Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has been recognized by The MacArthur Fellowship and The Guggenheim Fellowship. Category:Journalists