2026 Amanpour Lecture: A Conversation with Bob Woodruff

Bob Woodruff, an award-winning correspondent for ABC News who has covered the world’s most influential stories over the last three decades, will deliver the University of Rhode Island’s 2026 Christiane Amanpour Lecture. Woodruff, who succeeded the late Peter Jennings as anchor of “ABC World News Tonight,” will discuss his journalistic endeavors, as well as offer advice to students seeking journalism and media careers. The lecture is presented free and open to the public by the URI Harrington School of Communication and Media, and will be followed by a light reception. Bob Woodruff joined ABC News in 1996 and has covered major stories throughout the country and around the world for the network. He succeeded Peter Jennings as anchor of ABC World News Tonight in December 2005. Woodruff has reported from all around the world for more than three decades, covering some of the most influential stories and breaking news events of our time — from the White House and the Department of Justice to frontlines in war zones and disaster areas. On Jan. 29, 2006, while reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that struck his vehicle near Taji, Iraq, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury and a 36-day coma. After his recovery, Woodruff returned to reporting and has continued to tell powerful stories across the globe. His long-form work for ABC, Hulu, Disney+, and National Geographic has explored urgent issues including environmental challenges, veterans’ recovery, human resilience, and global conflict. Woodruff’s journalism has been recognized with numerous honors, including 10 Emmy® Awards, two George Foster Peabody Awards, an Alfred I. duPont Award, and the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism. -- The Christiane Amanpour Lecture is endowed by and named for the 1983 URI alumna and 1995 honorary degree recipient. She is chief international anchor for CNN and host of its award-winning, flagship global affairs program Amanpour, as well as Amanpour & Co. which airs on PBS in the United States. Launched in 2008, the speaker series brings well-respected journalists to campus each year.