Courtesy of The Washington Post

Tracking the presidential polls has become an obsession for many voters, especially with the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris less than a week before Election Day.

Emily Guskin, a 2009 Rutgers graduate who is deputy director of polling for The Washington Post, is on the front lines, reporting on the key numbers and issues facing voters in this election.

We spoke with Guskin — who specializes in public opinion on politics, election campaigns and public policy — about what it’s like to work for one of the nation’s largest media outlets in polls that show Tuesday’s election could be close to historic .

For what it means to write numbers with thin edges The Washington Post during such an important presidential election?

It’s exciting and never slow! It’s great to work in a newsroom with so many smart people.

What did you study as a graduate student at Rutgers and how did your college experience shape your career?

I received my Masters in Public Policy from the Bloustein School. I focused on survey research and learned from great teachers like Cliff Zukin, Roland Anglin, and Jocelyn Crowley. I also worked at the Bloustein Center for Survey Research and the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development during my time at Rutgers.

During the summer between my freshman and sophomore years at Bloustein, I interned in the polling department at ABC News prior to the 2008 presidential election. All of these experiences gave me the opportunity to be present at every step of the polling process: writing the questions , survey administration, data analysis. All this. That experience at Rutgers set me up for success in my career.

It sounds like you have a high-pressure job, especially during election season. What do you do to manage stress so you can stay focused on what you’re doing?

I like to run, read books and do crosswords. I don’t have much free time now, but I’m looking forward to some trips with my partner and concerts with my friends after the election.

What was it like to be part of the Pulitzer Prize winning team for “American Icon”: an engaging series about the political importance and cultural impact of the AR-15?

It was special and a great honor. The work that all of my colleagues have put into this project has been incredible, and it is incredible to be recognized by the Pulitzer Prize Board. I am so proud of our work and never imagined that what I do would be noticed in this way. You can read more about the American Icon project and other Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism this year. Here.