Biography
Alan Bjerga works in the Knight Ridder Washington, D.C. bureau as correspondent for the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, a position he's held since Sept. 2001. He's also worked at the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, none of which offer any preparation for a five week quest in China.
He holds a 1998 Master's of Arts degree in mass communication from the University of Minnesota and a 1995 bachelor's in history and English literature from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. In a heartbreaker, he lost on "Jeopardy!" in 2003, but redeemed himself on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" last September, taking advantage of the chance to turn his over-education into actual money.
Alan also edits The Almanac of the Unelected, a comprehensive guide to congressional staffers, and has contributed to Washington Monthly magazine. He's appeared as a guest commentator on National Public Radio, and serves on the Board of Governors at the National Press Club. This project was made possible by the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins University, for which Alan is on fellowship this fall.
Interests
About the Blog: "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road" is all about adventures into the unknown. The rise of China as an economic power. The impact that rise will have on Kansas and America. And how to make it from Beijing to Shanghai to Xi'an with minimal language skills, no experience in Asia and a severe allergy to air pollution. Follow Wichita Eagle reporter Alan Bjerga as he tracks down cutting-edge development in Chinese aviation as a market and as a manufacturer; as he follows Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and a band of Kansas business leaders as they try to promote trade with the Sunflower state; and as he seeks out the best karaoke in the Middle Kingdom. Will the quest be a success? What adventures for Kansas lie beyond Kansas -- "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road?" Check regularly for details as the adventure unfolds, on this blog and in the pages of the Eagle. It's like reality TV -- except it's real.
