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A picture of Lam Thuy Vo

Lam Thuy Vo

Data reporter (BuzzFeed News)

in data, mac, reporter

Who are you, and what do you do?

I'm Lam Thuy Vo. I'm a (data) reporter for BuzzFeed News where I specialize in covering the intersection of technology and society. I also teach (data journalism, coding for journalists) a fair amount and am currently writing a coding book.

What hardware do you use?

MacBook Pro (though in rare cases when I still do videos and photography I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II and a Sony α7S).

And what software?

I tell stories in various formats. Some software I use to do so are below.

For data analysis: Python and Jupyter notebooks.

For data visualizations: Interactive: JavaScript, d3, Highcharts, Canvas and whatever other libraries any project may call upon. Web dev: Atom text editor. Static: Adobe Illustrator.

For other visuals: Gifs: Gyazo for quick ones; QuickTime or After Effects, Premiere and Photoshop for more custom ones.

For photography: Adobe Bridge and Photoshop, Snapseed on the go/mobile.

For videos: Premiere, Adobe After Effects.

For writing: Google Docs (on phone and on desktop).

What would be your dream setup?

Adjustable standing desk in a room with many windows with a climbing wall close enough so I can think and climb in between coding milestones :)