Mengyuan Dong

Hello,
I'm Mengyuan.

I am a journalist based in Sacramento and the Bay Area, specializing in telling stories through data analysis and visualization. I'm currently a data reporter at the Sacramento Business Journal.

Previously, I was an editorial intern and a Google News Initiative fellow at Bay City News, a Bay Area news outlet, where I wrote features and breaking news stories on various local issues. I also produced standalone data projects as an intern at Caixin Media, a national and investigative reporting publication in China.

With my reporting and technical skills, I can create stories and data projects from beginning to end. And I'm always looking to explore fresh angles and add depth to stories through a data lens. My reporting interests include local economy, demographics, social justice, climate and Asian American communities. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

Data Projects

Datawrapper Spreadsheet

Home prices in Sacramento area

I used data from Zillow home value index to analyze home values for local neighborhoods and the minimum annual income needed to buy a home in the most expensive ones. Published on Sacramento Business Journal.

a gif of python notebook showing code and data visualizations

R Datawrapper Mapbox

EV Charging Stations in the Bay Area

I used American Community Survey data to investigate potential racial disparities in access to public electric vehicle charging stations among neighborhoods in the Bay Area.

Recycled materials get baled at Jacksonville’s recycling center.

Scrollytelling Flourish

Jacksonville resumes curbside recycling after a 6-month suspension. How's it going?

I looked into Jacksonville's recycling system and presented my on-the-ground reporting through a multimedia piece.

Spreadsheet Datawrapper Flourish

Migrant deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border

I analyzed data from International Organization for Migration and Humane Borders to explore patterns for migrant deaths.

VIEW DOCUMENTATION

Pandas

Alameda waste analysis

I analyzed how the amounts of landfilled waste in Alameda have changed over the past few years, and what have been the major types of waste generated by different business groups.

a gif of the R notebook containing code and data visualizations

Impacts to Austin’s Urban Forest from Commercial Development

I analyzed how commercial development has led to Austin’s tree removals and affected the city’s Urban Forest plan.

a sankey chart showing whwere the imported COVID-19 cases in China were from and which provinces in China they went to

Flourish Spreadsheet

Where were imported COVID-19 cases to China originally from

I tracked all 649 officially reported imported cases in China, visualized the tortuous routes overseas Chinese had to travel during the pandemic to return home.

a gif of the story page containing text and data visualizations

Spreadsheet Illustrator

China's e-commerce booms during the pandemic (in Chinese)

For Caixin Media, I looked into how the pandemic reshapes Chinese consumers' shopping habits.

Spreadsheet Datawrapper Illustrator

Child trafficking in China

For Caixin Media, I scraped and collected child trafficking cases and analyzed how were human traffickers often sentenced in China.

Writing

A volunteer at White Pony Express sorting food for the food bank

A Sacramento law firm nearly lost a $500K settlement to wire fraud. Here's how it happened

Published on Sacramento Business Journal

State law to reduce food waste has Bay Area food banks starving for better distribution

Published on The Mercury News.

Patrick Johnson is standing in front of an optical test station at Tinsley Labs used to measure mirror surfaces.

The Bay Area story behind James Webb Space Telescope’s success

Published on Bay City News.

Proposed site for the safe parking program at Santa Teresa light rail station’s northern parking lot.

San Jose plan to provide safe parking zone for homeless RV dwellers evokes concerns

Published on Bay City News.

Nan discusses her work with Dr. Papanicolaou, inventor of the Pap smear, in the TheatreWorks world premiere play “Nan and the Lower Body.”

TheatreWorks premiere ‘Nan and the Lower Body’ puts a microscope on the history of reproductive health

Published on Bay City News.

A single monther, Molly Miller, with her daughter

Voter Turnout in California Elections Appears Lower Than 2018 With Newsom’S Re-Election

Published on SF Gate

Single mothers struggle in college

Published on The Daily Texan

Videos

At Slow Burn Glass studio in Richmond, owner Bryan Goldenberg instructs students in the art of glassblowing.

At Richmond glassblowing studio, art is a Slow Burn

A group video project featuring a glass blowing studio in Richmond. Our team interviewed the owner and his students about their experiences and how they were rebuilding the glass blowing community after the pandemic lockdown.

a picture of Alison Gibson diving into the swimming pool

Diving into Public School

A short documentary featuring student-athlete Alison Gibson. Gibson was homeschooled her entire life, never attending a traditional public or private school. She experienced age difference and had a hard time balancing school and training, but she has finally found her own path to success.

Bee Informed

A video story about Tanya Phillips, a beekeeper and the founder of Bee Friendly Austin. Phillips teaches classes to new beekeepers, spreading her love for honey bees and the knowledge of beekeeping.

Want to get in touch?

mengyuandong@berkeley.edu

Find my resume here

Hello, I'm Mengyuan.

Data Projects

Home prices in Sacramento area

EV Charging Stations in the Bay Area

Jacksonville resumes curbside recycling after a 6-month suspension. How's it going?

Migrant deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border

Alameda waste analysis

Impacts to Austin’s Urban Forest from Commercial Development

Where were imported COVID-19 cases to China originally from

China's e-commerce booms during the pandemic (in Chinese)

Child trafficking in China

Writing

A Sacramento law firm nearly lost a $500K settlement to wire fraud. Here's how it happened

State law to reduce food waste has Bay Area food banks starving for better distribution

The Bay Area story behind James Webb Space Telescope’s success

San Jose plan to provide safe parking zone for homeless RV dwellers evokes concerns

TheatreWorks premiere ‘Nan and the Lower Body’ puts a microscope on the history of reproductive health

Voter Turnout in California Elections Appears Lower Than 2018 With Newsom’S Re-Election

Single mothers struggle in college

Videos

At Richmond glassblowing studio, art is a Slow Burn

Diving into Public School

Bee Informed

Want to get in touch?

Hello,
I'm Mengyuan.