Research Bio
Shereen Marisol Meraji is an assistant professor and the head of the audio journalism concentration at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. She is an award-winning audio journalist known for her expertise in race and identity reporting, and a leader in shaping inclusive practices in public media and journalism education.
Meraji is best known as the co-founder, senior producer, and former co-host of NPR’s Code Switch, a groundbreaking podcast that explores race and identity in the United States. During her tenure, Code Switch became a national touchstone, used by educators, scholars, and media institutions to inform and deepen conversations about systemic racism. In 2020, Apple Podcasts named Code Switch its first-ever Show of the Year—a recognition of the show’s wide reach and cultural impact.
At UC Berkeley, Meraji brings over two decades of field experience into the classroom, designing curriculum that merges technical training in audio storytelling with critical insights into how race, representation, and power shape the news. She launched the J-school’s first-ever foundational reporting course in the audio medium (J200), centering ethical practices for covering communities that are often misrepresented or ignored in mainstream media. Her students’ work has aired on NPR, PRI, and public radio stations across California.
Meraji’s current research and creative work continue to focus on racial and gender equity. In 2024, she released How I Get It Done, a 20-part podcast and audiobook made in partnership with Vox Media, Audible, and New York Magazine. The series profiles women—many from marginalized communities—navigating personal and professional identity in the face of a multitude of challenges. Her recent audio documentary work includes a contribution to Little America (Vox/Apple), focused on the immigrant experience, and an ongoing role as interviewer for City Arts & Lectures, where she engages leading thinkers on race, belonging, and cultural change.
In addition to her research and teaching, Meraji actively serves the UC Berkeley community and the broader journalism field. She has led key equity and inclusion efforts on campus, contributed to faculty hiring, mentored students into competitive internships and jobs, and strengthened ties between the Graduate School of Journalism and major public media outlets. She frequently speaks to national audiences about journalism’s role in creating a more just and inclusive democracy.
Research Expertise and Interest
audio journalism, Podcasting, Race and Ethnicity in the United States