AEJMC 2026: Missouri School of Journalism takes center stage in New Orleans
From newsroom crisis management and the ethical boundaries of AI to the future of local journalism, scholars from the Missouri School of Journalism are set to lead the global conversation at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Aug. 5–8.
Faculty, students and alumni will present 110 peer-reviewed research papers and fill 108 leadership roles as moderators, discussants, and panelists during the four-day conference.
This year, two Missouri journalism scholars also received two major national awards:
- Professor Amy Simons earned AEJMC’s inaugural Award for Excellence in Teaching, honoring her transformative passion in the classroom, her contributions to the Journalism School’s curriculum and her dedication to scholastic media mentorship.
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow Vy Luong earned the 2026 Inez Kaiser Graduate Student of Color Award for her work examining leadership identity within media organizations. The award honors the legacy of Inez Kaiser, the first African American woman to lead a public relations firm with national clients.
Founded in 1912 in Chicago, AEJMC is an international nonprofit organization composed of more than 3,700 faculty, students and administrators at journalism and mass communication schools from more than 50 different countries. AEJMC is dedicated to providing the means necessary to journalism and mass communication educators and students to foster generations of practitioners and educators dedicated to better professional practices and a more informed public.
The full list of faculty, students, and alumni presenting their work at the conference, as well as those serving in leadership and advisory roles, follows below. Missouri School of Journalism faculty, students and alumni are identified in bold face in the “Abstracts” section.
Abstracts
Broadcast and Mobile Journalism Division
- Stormchasing and the Performative Thrill of Live Disaster Media. Kaitlyn Serafin, Brady Quinn, Grace Smith, Teodora Tavares, Grace Ficara, Victoria Heath and Ava Jochims, South Florida, Valerie Belair-Gagnon, Minnesota, and Gregory Perrault (Ph.D. ’15), South Florida
Newspaper and Online News Division
- Detention, Believability and Credibility of AI-Generated Images versus Real News Photos: An Experiment on Images of Highly Publicized News Topics. Jueman (Mandy) Zhang (MA’05) and Daniel Hunt, Rhode Island
Video Platforms as News Disseminators
- From “Trash Media” to Trusted Voices: The Platformized Gratification Paradox in India’s Hyperlocal YouTube Journalism, Pranaav Jadhav, University ofMissouri
Environmental & Sports Journalism
- Disseminator or Advocate? Role-Toggling in Professional Practices Among Environmental Journalists, Patrick Ferrucci (Ph.D. ’13) Colorado-Boulder and Hong Vu
Managing Newsrooms and News Workers
- Active Vulture Investor Strategies: Tracing Hedge Fund Activity in the U.S. News Media Industry. Qian Yu, Eastern New Mexico and Peter Gade (Ph.D. ’99) Oklahoma
- Research in Progress: The Public Editors: Metajournalistic Discourse at The New York Times from 2003-2017. Frank Russell (Ph.D. ’16), California State-Fullerton and Arthur Bremer (Ph.D. ’25), Stephen F. Austin State
- Research in Progress: Obits in Weekly Newspapers: The Tension Between Public Good and Financial Necessity. Hannah Artman and Nicholas Mathews, University of Missouri
Media Ethics Division
- Ethical Competence in AI-Mediated Public Relations Practice: Identifying Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Marlene Neill (MA ’07), Baylor
- Paradigm Destruction: How Journalism Casually Contributes to Its Own Credibility Debacle. Patrick Ferrucci (Ph.D. ’13), Colorado-Butler
- Algorithmic Design, Marketplace Failure, and X’s Ethical Obligation Towards Society. Misbahul Haque, University of Missouri
- Conceptualizing a Social Responsibility Theory Framework for Entertainment Media. Chad Painter (MA ’09, Ph.D. ’12), Dayton
- Can Generative AI Achieve Moral Neutrality? Ethical Challenges of ChatGPT Revising News Stories for Objectivity. Pranaav Jadhav, University of Missouri
- Third Place Faculty Paper: Moral Judgment, Virtue, and Digital Flourishing: Directions for Media Ethics. Patrick Plaisance (BJ ’85), Pennsylvania State
- Recent Refinements in Moral Psychology Approaches and Their Implications for Media Ethics Scholarship. Patrick Plaisance (BJ ’85), Pennsylvania State
- Caring for Stories: How Trauma-Informed Journalism Advances Ethics of Care. Taylor Sheridan, University of Missouri
- Toward the Application of Normative Theories to Music Journalism. Ian McKenzie, University of Missouri
- Research in Progress: “We Have Some Huge Breaking News”: Tiktok “Newsfluencers” and the Normative Functions of Journalism. Joy Jenkins (Ph.D. ’17), Jae Jepsen, Hadley Hoskins and Erin Hynes, University of Missouri
- Can Generative AI Achieve Moral Neutrality? Ethical Challenges of ChatGPT Revising News Stories for Objectivity. Pranaav Jadhav, University of Missouri
Participatory Journalism Interest Group
- First Place Faculty Paper: Examining Volunteer-Newsroom Collaboration in Community Radio: A Case Study on Community Radio in the Boulder and Denver Areas. Rania Al Namara and Patrick Ferrucci (Ph.D. ’13), Colorado-Butler
- Second Place Faculty Paper: Structural Inequalities, News Consumption, and Quality of Information in Rural Communities. Zivile Raskauskaite, , Ph.D. ’26, Kathleen Rose, Joy Jenkins, and Michael Dieringer (Ph.D. ’25), University of Missouri
Sports Communication Interest Group
- Peripheral Mending at the Edges of Sports Journalism: Metajournalistic Discourse of the Terry Rozier Sports Gambling Scandal. Ever Figueroa and Patrick Ferrucci (Ph.D. ’13), Colorado-Butler
Communicating Science, Health, Environment and Risk Division
- Using STOPS to Stop Misinformation: Situational Theory of Problem-Solving as A Framework to Motivate Communicative Actions on Social Media. Rita Tang, Minnesota-Twin Cities, Yan Jin (Ph.D. ’02), Georgia and Erich Sommerfeldt, Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Digital Health Tools as Conditional Cognitive Extensions: Patient Portals, Wearables, Communication, and Trust in Healthcare Systems. Chang Sup Park, Subrata Roy and Doyle Yoon (MA ’99, Ph.D. ’03), Oklahoma
Seeing, Feeling, Acting: Visual Attention, Emotional Appeals & Health Message Design
- Gaze Tracking and Calorie Labeling: Media Psychology Insights into Fast Food Decision Making. Rachel Bailey (BJ ’07, MA’07), Sun Young Park, Pooja Ichplani, Laura Suarez, Sofia Durand, Sol Lee, Mia Sandoval and Camila Lago, Florida State
- To Be or Not to Be Warm, That is the Question: Effects of Warmth on Clinical Trial Recruitment. Namyeon Lee, North Carolina, Yoorim Hong (Ph.D. ’24), Eastern New Mexico, Sisi Hu, Arkansas, Ciera Kirkpatrick (Ph.D. ’21), Nebraska-Lincoln and Sungkyoung Lee and Amanda Hinnant (MA ’99), University of Missouri
Mental Health, Media & Wellbeing
- Social Media – A “Super Peer” for Women’s Pre-Pregnancy Postpartum Body Image Expectations. Amelia Couture Bue and Halie Wenhold, Independent Researcher, and Ciera Kirkpatrick (Ph.D. ’21), Nebraska-Lincoln
- “Invisible Voices” in the Discourse of Mental Health News: A Critical Discourse Analysis. Anuja KC, University of Missouri
Mass Communication and Society Division
- Understanding the Affective Experience of Dissonance in Disinformation Correction: Effects of Source Discreditation, Meme Format, and Prior Issue Attitudes. Yan Huang, Houston, Renita Coleman (MA ’97, Ph.D. ’01), Texas at Austin
- How Presumed Influence on Others Shapes Public Responses to AI-Augmented Misinformation: Effects of AI Fatigue, Literacy, and Social Norms. Yicheng Zhu, Beijing Normal University, Yang Cheng (Ph.D. ’17), North Carolina and Jie Xu, Villanova
- Human-AI Collaborative Approach to Measuring Polarization as Structural Dispersion in X Discussions Following Mass Shooting Events. Ye Wang (MA ’08, Ph.D. ’11), University of Missouri-Kansas City
Commission on the Status of Women
- Where Women Learn: Platform Ecologies and Sexual Health Knowledge on Chinese Social Media. Donghan Fu, University of Missouri
History Division
Top Research-in- Progress, History Division
- Research in Progress: Jump and Grab: Race, Policing and the Press in Memphis’s Narcotics War, 1988-1990. Claire Rounkles (BJ ’18, Ph.D. ’25) and Sydnie Davis, Memphis
- From Genius to Public Personhood: Constructing Scientific Authority in The New York Times’ Coverage of Nobel Laureates, 1946-2025. Yong Volz, Alice Yu, and Ian McKenzie, University of Missouri
Media Institutions and Infrastructures: From Colonial Press Systems to Digital Platforms
- Beyond the Search Box: Digital Architecture, AI Ethics, and a Next-Generation Research Environment for Journalism History. Julien Gorbach (Ph.D. ’13), Hawaii at Manoa
Law and Policy Division
- Fair Use or Theft? The Rising Debate over AI Scraping of News Media. Muhammad Saurav Rahman, University of Missouri
- Generating Meaning: How could the Supreme Court Conceptualize AI-generated propaganda? Roman Kolgushev, University of Missouri
- Second Place Faculty Paper: Common Ground: Conceptions of Truth and Free Expression in Holmes’ Abrams Dissent and Stanton’s Woman’s Bible. Edward Carter, Brigham Young, and Jared Schroeder, University of Missouri
- Third Place Faculty Paper: A Calvinball Court: In Search of First Amendment Theory in Recent Emerging Technology Supreme Court Cases. Jared Schroeder, University of Missouri
- Second Place Student Paper: Data Brokers, Privacy Legislation, and Commercial Speech 15 Years Post-IMS. Anna Sago, University of Missouri
- First Place Student Paper: Defamation by AI: Actual Malice, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Fault. Misbahul Haque, University of Missouri
2026 Teaching Ideas Competition
- First Place: You’re the Content Moderator for a Social Media Startup, Dayton “Chip” Stewart (MA ’04, LLM ’07, Ph.D. ’09), Texas Christian
Political Communication Division
- Cultivating Conspiracy Mentality and Dangerous World Beliefs: Partisan Cable News and Subjective Isolation. Bingbing Zhang, Melissa Tully, Rachel Young (Ph.D. ’13), Sang Jung Kim, Brian Ekdale, and Jamil Marques, Iowa
- Research in Progress: From Coverage to Control: A Case Study of Sinclair “Must-Run” Election Content. Lana Medina, St. Thomas; Patrick Plaisance (BJ ’85) and Jing Xu, Pennsylvania State
Advertising Division
- Integration Over Instagram: Value Co-Creation as a Primary Driver of Instagram Influencer Marketing Success. Nate Fisher and Doyle Yoon (MA ’99 and Ph.D. ’03), Oklahoma
Communication Technology Division
- Evaluating AI Systems: How Perceptions Shape Trust, Engagement, and Behavioral Outcomes in AI-Mediated Communication. Yang Cheng (Ph.D. ’17), North Carolina State, Yi Ding and Yi-Cheng Zhu, Beijing Normal University
- What Is AI Like? Everyday Metaphors, Selective Amplification, and the Limits of Platform Influence on Collective AI Discourse. Yanshu Sybil Wang (BJ ’18), Wisconsin-Madison, Angela Yuson Lee, Stanford and Ross Dahlke, Wisconsin-Madison.
- Cultural Values and Digital Support: How Warm and Cold Experts Shape Older Adults’ Digital Engagement. Jennifer McDermitt and Anastasia Kononova (Ph ’10), Michigan State
- AI as a Source Cue in Fact-Checking: The Role of Process Explanation in Shaping Explainability, Credibility, and Belief. Bingbing Zhang, Iowa, Yujin Heo, Yanan Wu, Fuyuan Shen, and Heather Shoenberger (MA/JD ’06, Ph.D. ’14), Pennsylvania State
Political Communication and Public Relations Divisions
- The Trump Effect: Myth and the Use of AI in Visual Political Messaging. Keith Greenwood (Ph.D. ’06) and Taylor Sheridan, University of Missouri
- Sequential Conditioning in Political Communication: How Prior Exposure Shapes Responses to Competing Messages. Mengyao Xu, Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Benjamin Warner, University of Missouri
- It Depends: Mitigating the Dynamic Polarization on Immigration Using Contingency Theory. Mengyao Xu, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Benjamin Warner, University of Missouri.
- Visual Framing of Trump and Harris in Swing-State News Coverage. H M Murtuza, Doyle Yoon (MA ’99, Ph.D. ’03), Md Oliullah, Kenny Adesina, and Elizabeth Flores, Oklahoma
Communication Theory and Methodology, Cultural and Critical Studies, History Divisions and Religion and Media Interest Group
- The Minimal Multivariate Model of Visual Attention: A Stimulus-Level Theory of Attentional Salience in Visual Communication. Michael Vosburg (MA ’98), Benedict College
- Co-Adaptive Affordance Learning Model (CAALM): A Dynamic Framework of Affordance Development Through User-System Interaction. Joshua Riesenberg and Doyle Yoon (MA ’99, Ph.D. ’03), Oklahoma
History Division
- Second Place Student Paper: Airing Science: How Radio Liberty and Radio Moscow Used Scientific Communication for Persuasion Between 1960 and 1969. Roman Kolgushev, University of Missouri
Community Journalism Interest Group, Commission on the Status of Minorities, Commission on LGBTQIA+ Communities and Communicating Science, Health, Environment and Risk Division
- “Homosexuals Have Rights—and So Do Trees”: Recovering the Forgotten History of Trees for Queens and Stonewall-Era Environmental Activism. Cody Hays, Chelsea J. Reynolds (MA ’12), and Haley Achtzehn, Arizona State
Media Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship Division
- Relationalized Management and Coordinated Authority: Constructing Newsroom Leadership in Job Advertisements. Yong Volz, Simone Bender, and Vy Luong (Ph.D. ’25) University of Missouri
- Research in Progress: The Road Back to Journalism: Exploring the Motivations, Journalistic Identity and Professional Realities of Re-Entering the Field. Asma Khanom (Ph.D. ’24), Idaho, Nicolas Mathews and Frida Qi Humphreville, University of Missouri
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Elected Standing Committee on Teaching G.I.F.T. Competition
- Amplifying the Voices of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Hoda Emam and Tracy Everbach (Ph.D. ’04), North Texas
Newspaper and Online News Division
- Using Zines to Explore the Intersections of Gender and Media in the Journalism Classroom. Hannah Artman, University of Missouri
- Telling The Story of a Newsroom: Organizational Narrative and The Field of Journalism. Patrick Ferrucci (Ph.D. ’13), Colorado-Boulder
- Under The Cover of Moonlight: Defining Roles and Ethical Practices of Moonlighting Media Workers in The Face of Industry Precarity. Grace Smith, Grace Glover, and Mildred” Mimi” Perreault (Ph.D. ’16), South Florida
Visual Communication Division
- Teaching Visual Impact Through the DANCE Pedagogical System. Michael Vosburg (MA ’98) Benedict College
- Third Place Faculty Paper: Violence, Suffering, and Courage: Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographs, 2003 to 2025. Lisa Krantz (Ph.D. ’24), University of Missouri and Ross Taylor (BJ ’10), Colorado-Boulder
- First Place Faculty Paper:Assessing the Relationship between Platform Visuality, News-Finds-Me Perceptions and Trust for Social Media Users. Ivy Ashe (MA ’10), Florida Atlantic, Zhiting Zhang, Claire Lawrence, and Yuting He, Texas at Austin, and Ivan Lacasa-Mas, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
- Fast Frames: A Third Paradigm of Photojournalism Workflow. Michael Vosburg (MA ’98), Benedict College
- Research in Progress: Seeing the Sacred and the Suffering: A Philosophical Comparison of Religious and Traumatic Images. Taylor Sheridan, University of Missouri
- Research in Progress:Visualizing Research: How R1 Universities Communicate Research and Research Impact. Lorraina Scolaro, Kate Waller, Vy Luong (Ph.D. ’25), Zivile Raskauskaite, and Susan Renoe (BA ’97, MA ’99), University of Missouri
Minorities and Communication Division
- Research in Progress: Writing to ‘Rage War’: Abolition, Political Education, and Journalism in the Kansas City Defender. Cristina Mislan and Joy Jenkins (Ph.D. ’17), University of Missouri
- In Solidarity with Communities: How Movement Journalism is Shifting Paradigms through Cross-Field Collaboration with Activists and Civil Society Organizations. Tianting Zhang (MA ’21, Ph.D. ’25), Angelo State
- “Are You an Intern?” Intersectional Microaggressions against Asian American Women Journalists. Indah Setiawati (MA ’20, Ph.D. ’24), Butler
International Communication Division
- Journalism from the Catacombs: Resistance, Precarity, and Radical Solidarity among Exiled Central American Journalists. Summer Harlow (BJ ’99), Texas at Austin
- Metajournalistic Discourse During Political Crisis and Its Aftermath: New Roles, Professional Choices, And Divided Journalistic Communities. Tatsiana Karaliova (Ph.D. ’17), Butler
- Research in Progress: Breaking the Silence: How the Media Adapts to Internet Blackouts in Bangladesh. Wahida Alam, University of Missouri, Mohammad Al-Masum Molla, and Ahmed Shatil Alam, Oklahoma, Khadimul Islam, Eastern New Mexico and Mohammad Zahid Hossain, Oklahoma
- Overcoming Barriers: Message Framing and Source Credibility Effects on International Students’ Help-Seeking Intention. Anika Tahmin Tanni and Miglena Sternadori (MA ’05, Ph.D. ’08), Texas Tech
- Research in Progress: Redefining the Journalist’s Role: Newsroom Practices and Professional Identity in Ukraine During Wartime. Teodora Trifonova, University of Missouri
- Fear, Favor, Frustration: Inside the Journalistic Role Gap in Bangladesh’s Newsrooms. Muhammad Saurav Rahman, University of Missouri
Public Relations Division
- Social Media Influencer Type and Communication Style in CSR Communication: Effects on Perceived Authenticity and Public Responses. Yeonsoo Kim and Yilin Huang, Texas at Austin, Jingyue Tao (BJ ’17), Arkansas, Soyon Michelle Choi, and Hyunji Kim, Texas at Austin
- Communicating Human Rights Protection in Multinational Companies’ Supply Chains: Effects of CSR Claim Type, Emotional Visuals, and Corporate Nationality. Yoorim Hong (Ph.D. ’24), Eastern New Mexico and Sungkyoung Lee, University of Missouri
- The Sound of Silence: Exploring Cultural Dynamics and Strategic Silence in Cross-Cultural Crisis Communication. Teresia Nzau (Ph.D.’25), Messiah University
- The Messenger is the Message: Examining the Effects of Crisis Type and Spokesperson Choice on Publics’ Moral Emotions, Perceived Accountability and Authenticity, and Behavioral Intentions. Rongting Niu, Georgia, Ejae Lee, Boston, Yan Jin (MA ’02, Ph.D. ’05) and Yi Zhao, Georgia
- When Outrage Wears Out: Outrage Fatigue and Crisis Response Effectiveness. Victoria Kyriakopoulos and Erika Schneider (Ph.D. ’21), Syracuse
- Strategic Silence in Crisis Communication: Cultural, Ethical, and Intersectional Perspectives from Kenyan Public Relations Practitioners. Teresia Nzau (Ph.D. ’25), Messiah University
- The Impact of an Organizational Chatbot’s Dialogic Communication on the Public’s Trust, Advocacy, and Volunteering Intention. Yuan Wang, The Education University of Hong Kong, Yang Cheng (Ph.D. ’17), North Carolina State University, Fangcao Lu, The University of Hong Kong, and Jerry Avornyotse, North Carolina State University
- Effects of The Transparent Use of AI in Press Releases on Journalists’ Attitudes and Behavior: How Trust and Perceived Ethicality Mediate Journalists’ Intentions. Renita Beth Coleman (MA ’97, Ph.D. ’01), Texas at Austin, and Kami Vinton, Sul Ross State University
- Beyond AI vs. Human: The Role of AI Involvement Levels and Emotional Framing in Emergency Communication. Anli Xiao (MA ’14), South Carolina, and James Ndone (Ph.D. ’21), Coastal Carolina
- Research in Progress: Examining Information Processing and Advocacy Intentions Among CSA Supporters and Opponents. Anli Xiao (MA ’14), South Carolina, Yanan Wu, Pennsylvania State, Michail Vafeiadis, Auburn and Holly Overton, Pennsylvania State
- Third Place Paper, Open Research Competition: Owning the Story Within: The Effects of Stealing Thunder and Emotional Framing on Employee-Organization Relationships and Resilience. James Ndone (Ph.D.’ 21), Coastal Carolina, Alison Arnot, Catalyst Communications, and Margaret Duffy, University of Missouri
- AI Chatbot Message Framing in Healthcare Crisis Communication: Effects on Attitude, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Subjective Norm. Yoosun Ham, Priscilla Aboagyewaa Boateng, and Yue Zhang (MA ’14), Indiana
Top GIFT Papers
- First Place Paper, GIFT Competition: Both Sides of the Podium: Building Collaboration Between Public Relations and Journalism Students. Erika Schneider (Ph.D. ’21) and Lauren Bavis, Syracuse
Communication Technology and Advertising Divisions
- Combating Counterfeiting in Kenya: A Culturally Centric Approach to Developing a National Communication Awareness-Raising and Consumer Education Strategy. Robi Koki Ochieng, and Maureen Kangu, United States International University-Africa; Patricia Huddleston, and Saleem Alhabash (MA ’08, Ph.D. ’11), Michigan State
- Impact of Authorship, Informational and Procedural Transparency on Perceived Credibility of AI-Generated News. Haiyan Jia, Lehigh, Alyssa Appelman (BJ/MA ’09), Kansas, Mu Wu, California State-Los Angeles, and Steve Bien-Aime, Kansas
- AI in Journalism: Audience Perceptions of Usefulness, Trustworthiness and Behavioral Intentions Toward AI-Generated News. Mariia Novoselia, University of Missouri
- Evaluating AI Systems: How Perceptions Shape Trust, Engagement, and Behavioral Outcomes in AI-Mediated Communication. Yang Cheng (Ph.D. ’17), North Carolina State
- Digital Divides, Calibrated Trust, and Adoption of Health AI Chatbots: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey. Zongya Li, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Ran Wei, Hong Kong Baptist University, Xiao Zhang and Jing Guo, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, and Ven-Hwei Lo (Ph.D. ’85), National Chengchi University
Communication Technology Division
- Understanding Attachment to Digital Media Accounts: The Role of Extended Self in Attachment and Digital Hoarding. Zixuan (Melodie) Zhao (BJ ’18, MA ’21) and Margaret Yee Man Ng, Illinois-Champaign Urbana
Mass Communication and Society Division
- Feeling Informed Without Seeking: The News-Finds-Me Perception in Kuwait’s Social Media Environment. Yousef Aldaihani, Kuwait University and Jae-Hwa Shin (Ph.D. ’03), Southern Mississippi
Magazine Media Division
- Research in Progress: From the Classroom to the Masthead: A Qualitative Study of Whether Journalism School Prepares Graduates for Careers in Magazine Media. Adam Pitluk (BJ ’99), Coastal Carolina, Jennifer Wilson and Jeffrey Inman, Drake
Community Journalism Interest Group
- Research in Progress: Measuring Local: Operationalizing News Stories as a Primary Unit of Analysis. Hannah Artman, University of Missouri
- Research in Progress: Thought Leaders or Floor Sweepers? The Opinion Tension in Weekly Newsrooms. Nick Mathews, University of Missouri
- Research in Progress: Not-Quite-Progressive: LGBTQ+ and Feminist Media Framing of Craigslist Sex Forums, 2005-2016. Chelsea J. Reynolds (MA ’12), Arizona State
- Banishing The Objectivity Norm: Intersectionality as an Equitable Journalistic Method for Community Environmental Reporting. Damilola Oduolowu (Ph.D. ’25), South Carolina
Participatory Journalism Interest Group
- Research in Progress: Beyond Information Needs: Assessing and Engaging Local Storytelling Networks. Nina Kelly, Andrea Wenzel, Sydney Boeger (BJ/MA ’25), and Letrell Crittenden, Temple
Media Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship Division
- “We Can’t Be Paralyzed by Fear”: Assessing Risk in Local Television News: An Exploratory Study on Management Strategies and Decision-Making. Asma Khanom (Ph.D. ’24), Idaho
Religion and Media Interest Group
- Reconciliation Through Care Ethics: The Role of Religious In-Group Identity in Organizational Culture Crises. Erika Schneider (Ph.D. ’21) and Victoria Kyriakopoulos, Syracuse
Public Relations Division
Top Open Competition
Newsom Award Competition ****Special Award Winners
- Third Place Paper, Open Research Competition: Strategic Silence in Crisis Communication: Defining, Assessing Effectiveness, and Exploring Cultural and Intersectional Influences Among Kenyan Public Relations Practitioners. Teresia Nzau (Ph.D. ’25), Messiah University
DEI Award Competition
- To DEI or Not to DEI: A Multi-Source Analysis of Corporate Social Advocacy. Teresa Tackett, Arkansas-Fayetteville; Andrea Lorenz (MA ’05), Kent State, and Bridget Barrett, Colorado-Boulder ***Special Award Winner
Scholastic Journalism Division
- Research in Progress: Collaborative Intelligence: Exploring the Integration of Large Language Models in English as a Medium of Instruction Courses. Chad Owsley (Ph.D. ’23), Nebraska-Omaha and Du Huizhen, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
- Student Journalists: Watchdogs or Loyal-Facilitators? A Quantitative Content Analysis of Role Performance in Scholastic News Coverage. Leslie Klein (MA ’21), and Betsy Emmons, Nebraska-Lincoln
- Research in Progress: Peer Corrections of Misinformation: Exploring Folk Theories. Tamar Wilner (MA ’88) and Judith E. Rosenbaum, Kansas, Ahmer Arif, Barnard College, Samuel A. Muzhingi, and K. Macy Burkett, Kansas
AEJMC Division Officers
Broadcast & Mobile Journalism Division
- Research Chair: Stan Jastrzebski, University of Missouri
- Social Media Manager/Webmaster: Zivile Raskauskaite, Ph.D. ’26, University of Missouri
Communicating Science, Health, Environment & Risk Division
- Head: Ashley Anderson, BJ ’02, Colorado State University
Communication Theory Methodology Division
- Teaching Committee Chair: Yulia Medyedeva, MA ’08, Ph.D. ’17, Zayed University-Dubai Campus
- Professional Freedom & Responsibility Chair: Hyunmin “Min” Lee, Ph.D. ’11, Drexel University
History Division
- Rachel Grant, Ph.D. ’18, University of Florida
International Communication Division
- PF&R Chair: Zhaoxi Liu, MA ’04, Trinity University
Law and Policy Division
- Teaching Committee Chair: Leslie Klein, MA ’21, Nebraska
- Southeast Colloquium Chair: Michael Martinez, MA ’08, Ph.D. ’12, Tennessee-Knoxville
Magazine Media Division
- Vice Head: Lisa Lenoir, Ph.D. ’22, Indiana-Bloomington
- Contest Chair: Heather Isherwood, BJ ’95, MA ’17, University of Missouri
- Journal Editor: Joy Jenkins, Ph.D. ’17, University of Missouri
- Immediate Past Head: Ivy Ashe, MA ’10, Florida Atlantic
Mass Communication & Society Division
- Research Committee (Member): Anastasia Kononova, Ph.D. ’10, Michigan State
Media Ethics Division
- Vice-Head: Kelsey Whipple, BJ/MA ’11, UMass-Amherst
Media Management, Economics & Entrepreneurship Division
- PF&R Chair: Asma Khanom, Ph.D. ’24, Idaho
Minorities and Communication Division
- Midwinter Research Chair: Monique Luisi, University of Missouri
Political Communication Division
- Division Midwinter Chair: Heesook Choi, Ph.D. ’19, Mississippi State
Scholastic Journalism Division
- Marina Hendricks, Ph.D. ’17, South Dakota State
Visual Communication Division
- Division Head: Keith Greenwood, Ph.D. ’06, University of Missouri
- Contests Co-Chair: Shane Epping, MA ’08, Ph.D. ’23, Wyoming
- Teaching & Teaching Contests Chair: Denise McGill, BJ ‘93, University of South Carolina
- Newsletter Editor: Michael Vosburg, MA ’98, Benedict College
- Graduate Student Liaison: Taylor Sheridan, University of Missouri
Interest Groups
Community Journalism Interest Group
- Research Chair: Joy Jenkins, Ph.D. ’17, University of Missouri
- SEC Chair: Mimi Perreault, Ph.D. ’16, South Florida
Entertainment Studies Interest Group
- Head: Kelsey Whipple, BJ/MA ’11, UMass-Amherst
Participatory Journalism Interest Group
- Head: Carrie Brown, Ph.D. ’08, Montclair State
- Research Co-Chair: Mark Poepsel, BJ’02, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
- PF &R Chair: Damilola Oduolowu, Ph.D. ’25, South Carolina
Commissions
Commission on Graduate Education
- Jodi McFarland Friedman, MA ’13, University of Maryland
Commission on LGBTQIA+ Communities
- Chelsea J. Reynolds, MA ’12, Arizona State
Commission on the Status of Women
- Research Co-Chair: Mildred” Mimi” Perreault, Ph.D. ’16, South Florida
- Teaching Chair/Kopenhaver Liaison: Tracy Everbach, Ph.D. ’04, North Texas
Moderators, Discussants, Panelists and Hosts
- Adam Maksl, Ph.D. ’12, Indiana-Indianapolis
- Adam Pitluk, BJ ’99, Coastal Carolina
- Alyssa Appelman, BJ ’09, MA ’09, Kansas
- Amanda Hinnant, MA ’99, University of Missouri
- Amy Simons, BJ ’99, MS ’19, University of Missouri
- Anastasia Kononova, Ph.D. ’10, Michigan State
- Andrea Lorenz, MA ’05, Kent State
- Andrea Miller, Ph.D. ’03, Oklahoma
- Anli Xiao, MA ’14, South Carolina
- Arthur Bremer, Ph.D. ’24, Stephen F. Austin State
- Asma Khanom, Ph.D. ’24, Idaho
- Benjamin Warner, University of Missouri
- Beverly J. Horvit, MA ’96, Ph.D. ’99, University of Missouri
- Carrie Brown, Ph.D. ’08, Montclair State
- Cathy Jackson, Ph.D. ’04, Norfolk State
- Chad Owsley, Ph.D. ’23, Nebraska-Omaha
- Chad Painter, MA ’09, Ph.D. ’12, Dayton
- Chelsea J. Reynolds, MA ’12, Arizona State
- Ciera Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. ’21, Nebraska-Lincoln
- Claire Rounkles, BJ ’18, Ph.D. ’25, Memphis
- Cristina Mislan, University of Missouri
- Damilola Oduolowu, Ph.D. ’25, South Carolina
- Damon Kiesow, University of Missouri
- David D. Kurpius, Dean of the School of Journalism, University of Missouri
- Daxton “Chip” Stewart, MA ’04, LLM ’07, Ph.D. ’09, Texas Christian
- Deborah Pastner, MA ’24, University of Texas-Austin
- Doyle Yoon, MA ’99, Ph.D. ’03, Oklahoma
- Earnest Perry, MA ’95, Ph.D. ’98, University of Missouri
- Erika Schneider, Ph.D. ’21, Syracuse
- Erin Schauster, Ph.D. ’13, Colorado-Boulder
- Eunjin (Anna) Kim, MBA ’10, Ph.D. ’15, Southern California
- Frank Russell, Ph.D. ’16, California State Fullerton
- Gregory Perreault, Ph.D. ’15, South Florida
- Harrison Hove, MA ’16, University of Florida
- Heather Shoenberger, MA/JD ’06, Ph.D. ’14, Pennsylvania State
- Heesook Choi, Ph.D. ’19, Mississippi State
- Indah Setiawati, MA ’20, Ph.D. ‘24, Butler University
- Ivy Ashe, MA ’10, Florida Atlantic
- Jae-Hwa Shin, Ph.D. ’03, Southern Mississippi
- James Mueller, BJ ’82, MA ’92, North Texas
- James Ndone, Ph.D. ’21, Coastal Carolina
- Jared Schroeder, University of Missouri
- Jennifer Greer, BJ ’88, Kentucky
- Jensen Moore, Ph.D. ’07, Oklahoma
- Jingyue Tao, BJ ’17, Arkansas
- Joseph Jones, Ph.D. ’21, West Virginia
- Joy Jenkins, Ph.D. ’17, University of Missouri
- Jueman (Mandy) Zhang, MA ’05, Rhode Island
- Julien Gorbach, Ph.D. ’13, Hawaii at Manoa
- Kathleen Rose, University of Missouri
- Keith Greenwood, Ph.D. ’06, University of Missouri
- Kelsey Whipple, BJ/MA ’11, UMass-Amherst
- Kristie Bunton, BJ ’83, MA ’89, Texas Christian
- Lei Guo, Ph.D. ’20, Nebraska Omaha
- Leslie Klein, MA ’21, Nebraska
- Lisa Krantz, Ph.D. ’24, University of Missouri
- Lisa Lenoir, Ph.D. ’22, Indiana-Bloomington
- Margaret Duffy, University of Missouri
- Maria Len-Rios, Ph.D. ’02, Minnesota
- Mark Greenblatt, BJ ’00, Arizona State
- Mark Lodato, BJ ’89, Syracuse
- Mark Poepsel, BJ ’02, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
- Marlene Neill, MA ’07, Baylor
- Melissa Greene-Blye, MA ’12, Kansas
- Mengyao Xu, Ph.D.’ 24, Georgia College
- Michael Martinez, MA ’80, Ph.D. ’12, Tennessee-Knoxville
- Michael Vosburg, MA ’98, Benedict College
- Michelle Keller, MA ’97, Kansas
- Miglena Sternadori, MA ’05, Ph.D. ’08, Texas Tech
- Mildred F. “Mimi” Perreault, Ph.D. ’16, Alabama or South Florida
- Nick Mathews, University of Missouri
- Patrick Ferrucci, Ph.D. ’13, Colorado at Boulder
- Patrick Plaisance, BJ ’85, Pennsylvania State
- Peter Gade, Ph.D. ’99, Oklahoma
- Rachel Bailey, BJ ’07, MA ’07, Florida State
- Rachel Grant, Ph.D. ’18, University of Florida
- Rachel Young, Ph.D. ’13, Iowa
- Renita Coleman, MA ’97, Ph.D. ’01, Texas at Austin
- Robin Hoecker, MA ’07, DePaul
- Ross Taylor, BJ ’10, Colorado-Boulder
- Saleem Alhasbash, MA ’08, Ph.D. ’11, Michigan State
- Samuel Tham, MA ’15, Colorado State
- Stan Jastrzebski, University of Missouri
- Sungkyoung Lee, University of Missouri
- Summer Harlow, BJ ’99, University of Texas-Austin
- Susan Renoe, BA ’97, MA ’99, University of Missouri
- Sydney Boeger, BJ/MA ’25, Temple
- Tamar Wilner, MA ’18, Kansas
- Tatsiana Karaliova, Ph.D. ’17, Butler
- Teresia Nzau, Ph.D. ’24, Messiah University
- Teri Finneman, MA ’10, Ph.D. ’15, Kansas
- Ting-Hao Tsou, Ph.D. ’23, Louisiana State
- Tianting Zhang, MA ’21, Ph.D. ’25, Angelo State
- Tracy Everbach, Ph.D. ’04, North Texas
- Uche Onyebadi, Ph.D. ’08, Texas Christian
- Ven-Hwei Lo, Ph.D. ’85, National Chengchi University
- Vincent Filak, Ph.D. ’03, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- Vy Luong, Ph.D. ’26, University of Missouri
- Weilu Zhang, Ph.D. ’23, Kentucky
- Yan Jin, Ph.D. ’02, Georgia
- Yang Cheng, Ph.D. ’17, North Carolina
- Yanshu Sybil Wang, BJ ’18, Wisconsin-Madison
- Ye Wang, MA ’08, Ph.D. ’11, University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Yong Volz, University of Missouri
- Yoorim Hong, Ph.D. ’25, Eastern New Mexico
- Yue Zhang, MA ’14, Indiana
- Zhaoxi Liu, MA ’04, Trinity University
- Zixuan (Melodie) Zhao, BJ ’18, MA ’21, Illinois-Champaign-Urbana
Updated: July 29, 2026