Boston Globe editor who uncovered sexual abuse by Catholic priests to speak

Pulitzer Prize winner Walter “Robby” Robinson, editor-at-large of the Boston Globe, will speak at two events at Yale on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, as a Poynter Fellow in Journalism.

Robinson led the Globe’s investigative Spotlight Team for seven years, during which time the team uncovered the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal. He has been city editor, metro editor, White House correspondent, and foreign correspondent. He has reported for the Globe from 48 states and more than 30 countries.

Robinson’s first talk, which is open to the public, will take place on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park St. He will also speak at a tea at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Davenport College, 248 York St. This talk is also open to the public. It will precede an 8 p.m. screening of “Spotlight” at Davenport. The screening is open to the Yale community only.

In addition to the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, Robinson is also the recipient of the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting from Harvard University, the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, the Selden Ring Award, the Worth Bingham Prize, and the Archeological Institute of America Award for outstanding public service. 

The Poynter Fellowship in Journalism was established by Nelson Poynter, who received his master’s degree in 1927 from Yale. The fellowship brings to campus journalists from a wide variety of media outlets who have made significant contributions to their field. Among recent Poynter fellows are Caitlin Shetterly, Maziar Bahari, and Farai Chideya.

Robinson’s Yale visit is jointly sponsored by the Seymour L. Lustman Memorial Fund. Robinson is also a Lustman Fellow under the auspices of Davenport College.