Current Research
Tenure-track faculty in the Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media are actively engaged in research projects throughout the year. Please feel free to reach out to individual faculty members regarding their specific research projects.
Fall 2026 / Spring 2027
Arthur W. Page Research on AI and Ethics in Public Relations
Dr. Marlene Neill will be completing the Arthur W. Page Center Research Fellowship this year. It was a 4-year project, with a special issue of the journal to be published in November. Dr. Neill is also conducting research for Ragan Communications & the Arthur W. Page Society on AI and its impact on the communication workforce, and research for the PRSA Board of Ethics & Professional Standards on AI ethics and skills.
Black Digital Culture and Online Communities
Dr. Mia Moody is conducting research exploring identity formation, humor, activism, storytelling, and community building within Black digital spaces, including Black Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and emerging social media platforms.
Content Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Alec Tefertiller is completing a Fundamentals of Data Research Fellowship with the Baylor University Library. This collaborative research project is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence in conducting textual content analysis, a traditionally labor-intensive methodology that is frequently employed in mass communication research. In addition to collaborating with data researchers in the university library, he has partnered with researchers at Kansas State University and Northwestern University in Qatar.
Digital Blackface, Memes, and Cultural Appropriation
Dr. Mia Moody has an ongoing research agenda examining digital blackface, meme culture, and the circulation of racial stereotypes across social media platforms. This work explores how user-generated content shapes contemporary understandings of race, identity, and cultural appropriation in digital spaces.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Journalism
Dr. Mia Moody is engaged in collaborative research focused on newsroom diversity, leadership, workplace culture, and the experiences of journalists from historically underrepresented groups in an evolving media environment.
Image Repair and Crisis Communication
Dr. Mia Moody is conducting ongoing research examining how individuals, organizations, and public figures respond to reputational crises across traditional media, social media, and digital platforms. This work explores image repair strategies, crisis management, and public responses to controversies involving race, gender, politics, and culture.
Race, Gender, and Representation in Digital Media
Dr. Mia Moody is engaged in research investigating how women, people of color, athletes, celebrities, and political figures are framed through memes, TikTok content, social media discourse, and other forms of participatory media. Projects focus on representation, intersectionality, and visual communication.
Social Media Messaging and Health Communication
Through the department's M3 Lab, Drs. Youngji Seo, Alec Tefertiller, and Tamara Welter are conducting physiological research to examine responses to health messaging displayed as advertising messages on social media. Utilizing eye-tracking and emotional recognition through facial expression analysis, the research team hopes to better understand social media users' interpretation of health-related messaging related to vaccinations, weight-loss medications, and physical activity, as well as users' experiences of messaging generated using artificial intelligence.
Sports Media, Physical Activity, and Health
In collaboration with researchers at Oklahoma State University, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Alec Tefertiller is conducting research examining the relationship between sports media consumption and health-centered behaviors, including the use of professional athletes in GLP-I medication advertisements.
