Elise Hu

Elise Hu is a digital editorial specialist at NPR who contributes reporting to on-air, online and multimedia platforms. She joined NPR in 2011 to coordinate the digital development and editorial vision for the StateImpact network, a state government reporting project focused on member stations.

Before joining NPR, she helped launch The Texas Tribune, a non-profit digital news startup devoted to government and politics. While at the Tribune, Hu oversaw television partnerships and multimedia projects; contributed to The New York Times' expanded Texas coverage and pushed for editorial innovation across platforms. Her work there earned a Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism and a National Edward R. Murrow award for best online video.

An honors graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia's School of Journalism, she previously worked as the state political reporter for KVUE-TV in Austin, WYFF-TV in Greenville, SC, and reported from Asia for the Taipei Times.

Outside of work, Hu is an adviser to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where she keeps up with emerging media and technology as a panelist for the Knight News Challenge.

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All Tech Considered
3:18 pm
Thu April 11, 2013

A Mile-High Hack: An App That Could Remotely Hijack Planes

Credit iStockphoto.com
A German IT consultant's proof-of-concept software raises questions about efforts to secure global flight systems.

Originally published on Fri April 12, 2013 10:28 am

The Federal Aviation Administration continues work on its multibillion-dollar upgrade to the nation's air traffic control system, but it may not be enough to stop hackers from taking control of airplanes with a smartphone.

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Code Switch
7:46 am
Tue April 9, 2013

Mom Says: "Learn Chinese"

Originally published on Tue April 9, 2013 11:50 am

My earliest memory of code switching is at Pizza Hut, back when Pizza Huts were sit-down restaurants with salad bars and garlic bread. (Like any daughter of immigrants, most of my memories involve food.) My mom and dad would speak with the waiters in English, ordering our pan-crust pizzas and Pepsi products, but we used Mandarin at the table. Our Mandarin was our secret code.

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The Two-Way
1:58 pm
Sun March 24, 2013

100 Hours On The Supreme Court's Sidewalk: Camping Out For A Seat To History

Credit Elise Hu / NPR
More than two dozen people bundled up to camp out before the U.S. Supreme Court for a seat to watch oral arguments in a same-sex marriage case on Tuesday.

Overnight temperatures are dipping below freezing and the forecast calls for snow, but cold, boredom and discomfort haven't stopped more than 30 Supreme Court die-hards from camping out for a seat to history.

"I just really wanted to be part of this moment, so I had been planning to come down for months," said Darienn Powers, a college student who came to Washington from New York. "No matter what, it's worth it to be in there and really experience what's going on."

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The Two-Way
2:35 pm
Wed March 20, 2013

Scientists: 'No Options' To Stop Massive Asteroids On Collision Course

Credit Frank Masi / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Actor Bruce Willis on the surface of an asteroid from the movie Armageddon. Lawmakers are questioning the likelihood of the movie's plot becoming reality.

Originally published on Wed March 20, 2013 3:40 pm

Without "a few years" warning, humans currently have no capacity to stop an asteroid on a collision course with the planet, scientists told a Senate panel Wednesday.

"Right now we have no options," said former astronaut Ed Lu. "If you dont know where they are, there's nothing you can do."

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All Tech Considered
3:29 am
Tue March 12, 2013

Self-Tracking Apps To Help You 'Quantify' Yourself

Credit Elise Hu / NPR
Noah Zandan shows off his Zeo sleep-tracking headband. His other self-tracking devices are on his wrists. Noah and his father, Peter, are both part of the growing "Quantified Self" movement.

Originally published on Tue March 12, 2013 10:11 am

Technology has made it easier than ever to track your activity levels, your sleep cycles, how you spend your time, and more. The self-trackers who near-obsessively capture and analyze their own data are part of a growing "Quantified Self" movement.

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All Tech Considered
6:20 am
Mon March 11, 2013

The Most Talked About Tech And Culture Trends At SXSW Interactive

Originally published on Mon March 11, 2013 7:40 pm

Everywhere you walk in downtown Austin, Texas, new names compete for the attention of the tens of thousands wandering the SXSW Interactive festival. Which of this year's emerging ideas and brands — MakerBot, Leap Motion, Geomagic — will break into mainstream consciousness? Here's a quick rundown of the conversation topics in coffee lines, and some notes on appearances and panels that caught our attention:

Beyond The Keyboard And Mouse

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All Tech Considered
12:13 pm
Mon February 25, 2013

Working From Home: The End Of Productivity Or The Future Of Work?

Credit Peter Kramer / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on Feb. 20, 2013. Under Mayer, Yahoo is ending its remote work policy for employees.

In its bid to reshape itself for the future, Yahoo is returning to a workplace culture of the tech industry's past. The Internet giant has reportedly notified its employees they'll no longer be allowed to work from home.

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Oscars 2013: The 85th Annual Academy Awards
12:56 pm
Sat February 23, 2013

The Four Biggest Best Picture Oscar Upsets, Statistically Speaking

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 1:28 pm

The Two-Way
1:05 pm
Wed February 20, 2013

Cash-Strapped Postal Service To Launch A New Clothing Line

Credit Joe Raedle / Getty Images
A mailman for the U.S. Postal Service delivers mail on November 15, 2012 in Miami, Florida.

Originally published on Wed February 20, 2013 1:32 pm

The U.S. Postal Service is getting creative in its search for new revenue after last year's $15.9 billion budget shortfall. The agency says it will debut a new clothing and accessories line called Rain Heat & Snow, inspired by its unofficial motto: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

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The Two-Way
9:11 am
Sat February 9, 2013

The Blizzard 'Nemo' Highlights The Hype Cycle Of Storms

Credit AFP / AFP/Getty Images
Two women look for a taxi in New York's Times Square on Friday.

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 12:53 pm

If you've wondered why the blizzard dumping snow on the Northeast has a name, look no further than The Weather Channel. At the start of this storm season, the 24-hour-weather network announced, much to the chagrin of The National Weather Service, that it would give names to winter storms.

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