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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThis summer, I traveled to Ireland as a Pulitzer Center Fellow to report on the production of biogas in the drinks industry. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget—but almost missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had attended the information meetings about this fellowship since my freshman year. I always dreamed that I would apply, but never had the confidence or courage to do so. Then my senior year rolled around – the first in-person semester after the pandemic – and I knew that this would be my last chance. I proposed a story about how breweries and distilleries in Ireland are producing biogas, a renewable energy that takes the waste generated by making beer or alcohol and turns it into a new sustainable energy source. Thankfully, I won the fellowship. I was thrilled and nervous at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I arrived for the first interview, I didn’t use a microphone, so the audio quality was really poor. Despite my mistake, it was a great interview and when it was over I remembered why I chose this career path and promised myself to believe in my skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout my reporting across Ireland, I grew to trust my gut. Every time I made a mistake – like missing a bus or not responding to an email – I learned from it, and that is the biggest takeaway from my experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My advice to any future Pulitzer Fellows: Trust your instincts. You know more than you think you do. Don’t let intrusive negative thoughts make you forget what you are capable of. And a little bit of Irish luck is always welcome. Lucky for me, I was able to go back and redo that interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can hear more about Niamh\u2019s experience here: https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/14eOMfyX32MVPA6VfQCn6gZH3HPsg_lXI\/view?usp=sharing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Irish](\"https:\/\/fm.hunter.cuny.edu\/journalism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Pulitzertwo.jpg\")
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