Before joining ICR, I completed my Master’s degree in Media Studies at UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte), in Brazil. My dissertation focused in Quality Television and public journalism. My Bachelor’s degree is in Social Communication with emphasis in Journalism and Radio & Television studies. During my undergraduate I spent a year in the UK studying Film and TV production at Anglia Ruskin University, in Cambridge.
Courses Taught
MACS 100: Introduction to Popular TV & Movies
Awards and Honors
Graduated with summa cum laude
Scholarship for the program Science Without Borders
Seo-Young (Selene) Kim is a doctoral student at the Institute of Communications Research (ICR). Her research examines how technology shapes consumer behavior, with a particular focus on the music industry. She uses biometric methods to investigate how consumers attend to and respond to media experiences.
Prior to joining ICR, Selene worked at CJ ENM as a strategist in Music IP Marketing and Artist Business. She earned an M.A. in Media & Communication from Korea University and dual degrees in International Studies (B.A.) and Business Administration (B.B.A.) from the Catholic University of Korea.
Recent Publications/Presentations
Publications
Lee, S. K., Park, H., & Kim, S. Y. (2024). “Gender and Task Effects of Human-Machine Communication on Trusting a Korean Intelligent Virtual Assistant,” Behaviour & Information Technology, 1-20.
Kim, S. Y., & Jung, Y. (2023). “Development of Semantic Differential Scales for Artificial Intelligence Agents,” The International Journal of Social Robotics, 15(7), 1155-1167.
Presentations
Kim, S. Y., Choi, J., & Nam, J. (2026). From Fan to Protest: How Lightsticks Enable Consumer Identity to Travel Across Political Contexts. Accepted for poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the Association for Consumer Research (ACR), Chicago, IL.
Kazybayeva, A., Nelson, M., Ji, H., Liu, J., Chen, M., Li, G. S., Kim, S. Y., et al. (2026). Exploring Contemporary Rich Media: Sound Off Viewing as a Double-Sided Coin for Advertising. Accepted for poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), New Orleans, LA.
Courses Taught
ADV 284: Consumer Insights
ADV 360: Innovations in Advertising
Awards and Honors
James Webb Young Travel Fund, University of Illinois, 2026
Bart A. Cummings Advertising Gift Fund, University of Illinois, 2025
Excellence Prize, Student-led Creative Research, Smart Media Service Research Center, 2021
I am interested in the tools and techniques that have been used to manipulate images throughout history. My research investigates the technical and discursive formations that constitute film restoration. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how the manipulation of images is framed through the intersecting histories of image generation, reception, and filmmaking.
I hold an M.Phil degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and have previously worked as a documentary filmmaker.
Recent Publications/Presentations
“Image Manipulation in Cinema: From Colorization to Restoration.” Presented at the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, Chicago, IL. 2025
“Upscaling the Past: The SD-to-HD Transition and Its Impact on Modern Video Processing.” Presented at the ‘Failing Media’ Graduate Student Conference, University of Chicago. 2025
Aiman’s research focuses on advertising, consumer behavior, neuromarketing, and biometrics. She applies methods such as eye-tracking, facial recognition, and GSR to study how consumers process advertising messages and make decisions.
Recent Publications and Presentations
Paltaratskaya, V., Zhang, J., Gupta, M., Kazybayeva, A., Peterson, M., & Wise, K. (2023– 2024). Visual attention, comprehension, and memory for visual metaphor in advertising. Submitted to the conference: The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).
Kazybayeva, A., Smykova, M., & Dushchanova, M. S. (2023). Investigating consumer behavior and psychotypes in the luxury real estate market. KazUEFIT Bulletin, 2(51)
Kazybayeva, A., Rakhimbekova, A., & Wise, K. (2024). Assessing educational potential of AI-generated content: Eye-tracking approach. Poster presentation at Bolashak 23.
Smykova, M., Orazgalieva, E., Abuzhalitova, A., & Kazybayeva, A. (2021). A study of consumer attitudes toward university advertising: A neuromarketing approach. Bulletin of the Karaganda University, 4(104). [In Russian]
Smykova, M., Kazybayeva, A., & Sokhatskaya, N. (2021). Neuromarketing studies of tourism service providers’ advertisements. Bulletin of Eurasian National University named after Gumilyov, Economics, 4. [In Russian]
Academic Roles
Aiman previously served as Dean of the School of Management at Almaty Management University (AlmaU). Before that, she was Program Leader for the Marketing educational program and Chair of the Department of Management, Marketing, and Logistics. She also founded and continues to head the Neuromarketing Laboratory at AlmaU, combining research and practice in consumer behavior studies. She has taught courses in marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, and neuromarketing.
Currently, Aiman is a PhD student in Communication and Media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, specializing in advertising, where she also serves as a Teaching Assistant.
Awards and Honors
Scholar of the “500 Researchers” Bolashaq Program (2023)
The Best Teacher of Higher Education Institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2020)
Member of the Presidential Personnel Reserve of the Republic of Kazakhstan
My primary research interests lie in persuasion and information behaviors, with a particular focus on how consumers process and respond to health-related advertising crafted with persuasive strategies.
Before joining ICR, I earned my MSc in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam, where I focused on persuasive communication, and received my Bachelor of Economics from Renmin University of China.
Courses Taught
I am a Teaching Assistant for ADV 284: Consumer Insights and ADV 305: Advertising Technology and the Digital World for the Fall 2025 semester.
What Most People Don’t Know about Me
I am a huge fan of fantasy stories! I have written a total of over 100,000 words of fan fiction, with some stories still in progress.
Film Theory, with a focus on Third and Fourth Cinema
Indigenous Representation in Film
Media and Sociology: Representation, Exploitation, and Labor
Intersectional Approaches to Media Studies (race, class, gender, sexuality)
Critical Theory and Media’s Impact on Empathy and Social Responsibility
Recent Publications/Presentations
“Children of the Corn Sweats” (film in development)
Recipie for Revenge (2024): Director of Photography
“Indigenous Voices Reshaping Cinema: Native American Representation in Dances with Wolves (1990) and Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher (2021).” Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal: McNair Special Issue 21, no. 3 (August 2023): 29–45. https://doi.org/10.5399/uo/ourj.
Academic Roles
Thomas is a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Representative for the Society of Cinema and Media Studies. He previously served as a TA for “Billy Wilder’s Hollywood,” and was a Discussion Leader for “Introduction to Cinema” and “Introduction to Television.”
Awards and Honors
Shriram Fellow, USC School of Cinematic Arts (2023–2024)
McNair Scholar, University of Oregon (2023)
Cinema Studies Departmental Honors, University of Oregon (2023)
New Century Scholar, All-USA Academic Team (2021)
All-Oregon Academic Team (2021)
What Most People Don’t Know about Me
What most people don’t know about me is that my journey has taken me to some truly unexpected places—both geographically and professionally. During my years in the retail construction industry, I worked across 44 U.S. states and two territories, which gave me a deep appreciation for the sheer variety of American life and landscapes. But one of the most surreal experiences came years later: I stood within a football field’s distance of Reactor #4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant—a place marked by tragedy, history, and myth. Just two days after that, I stood on the Potemkin Stairs in Odesa, the exact location where Sergei Eisenstein shot his iconic montage sequence. That moment was a strange and moving collision of history, media, and memory—one that reminded me why I’m drawn to cinema and its ability to shape how we understand the world.
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Kara Yoo is a Class of 2026 advertising major.
How does advertising at the University of Illinois connect you to your interests? I am very interested in photography and videography because they allow me to capture moments and turn them into memories. I do a lot of photo and video work within the advertising major, and that creative process is something I genuinely enjoy. Right now, I’m taking a copywriting class, but I’ve also taken courses in research and consumer insights, which have shown me how creativity plays a role across all areas of the advertising major. The professors structure projects to be very open-ended, giving students the freedom to incorporate creativity in their own ways. Taking a variety of classes has given me a well-rounded perspective on how I can incorporate creativity into different types of advertising work. The program does a great job of encouraging students to explore creativity across both the analytical and design sides of advertising.
Which advertising course has been your favorite and why? ADV 284: Consumer Insight was one of my favorite classes because it was the first class in which I really felt like I understood an advertising campaign. We collaborated in groups to develop a campaign for a brand. It was very immersive to go through the process of creating a campaign from start to finish and doing that with a team taught me how important collaboration is for building a successful campaign.
What is your role within the American Advertising Federation? This year, I am the Chief Executive Officer of AAF Illinois, which requires managing many different operations within the club and delegating roles to make our executive board run smoothly. I started as a general member of the AAF Illinois Hyperlink agency and became the Hyperlink project manager and eventually the Hyperlink president, which prepared me to be successful in the role I have now. In this role, I help coordinate meetings, professional gatherings, social events, and the Mentor-Mentee program. I also take part in various projects like making a video for the organization to show during meetings and events or taking photos for our social media platforms. My work as a CEO keeps me involved with communication and planning within AAF Illinois, while allowing me to create the work I love.
My other role in AAF Illinois is being involved in the National Student Advertising Competition. NSAC is a great agency for people who are interested in advertising and want more hands-on, collaborative experience. The members are split into teams of creatives, media, and plans book. I am part of the video team for our creative group, and work on production and editing.
How have your experiences on campus helped prepare you for your future career? I am interested in being on the creative side as an art director or creative director. The core classes in advertising showed me the different parts of advertising, which allowed me to explore my niche in creation. Additionally, trying different agencies and having leadership roles in AAF has helped me grow my confidence in my professional abilities. The experiences I have been a part of at this school as an advertising major have shaped the way I communicate with people as a team member and a leader. I see how individuals use their own creativity in collaborative situations, which is a great skill to have for my future. I look forward to using that insight and everything else I have learned at this school in my future.
What advice do you have for incoming Media students? I started freshman year with an open mind and a willingness to try as many things as I could. My sisters both told me how they regretted not exploring more opportunities their freshman year, so I made it my goal to take advantage of everything that came my way. My openness to new experiences is what led me to AAF, which is currently one of the most important parts of my life.
I really recommend that incoming freshmen not go into their first year with a restrictive plan. Oftentimes, people focus on always having a set plan, but freshman year is the perfect time to “go with the flow” and see where your interests take you. Through exploring different opportunities, I found certain things that I didn’t mesh with, and that’s okay. It’s all about trusting the process and pursuing what you are interested in during that time. This approach gives you an opportunity to get to know yourself and what you want to do with your future.
—Interview by Brooklynn Hubbard, New Voices Intern
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Hailey Kotowski is a Class of 2026 advertising major.
What excited you about majoring in advertising? What really excited me was the versatility of the field. I liked the idea that I could do almost anything with the major. When I first got to Illinois I was undeclared and I had a variety of interests, so I wanted a path that wouldn’t limit me to just one industry. Taking ADV 150: Introduction to Advertising my freshman year really influenced my decision to major in advertising, along with my involvement in the American Advertising Federation. My classes and being part of AAF helped me explore the advertising field and encouraged me to major in it.
Which RSOs have you found most valuable for advertising students? The first RSO I have found most valuable for advertising students is the American Advertising Federation at Illinois. AAF is a great club for advertising students to get hands-on experience, learn new skill sets, and gain knowledgeable insight into the advertising world. AAF is a good RSO to join if you want to get to know other students in the advertising major; it is a good way to make connections and to put yourself out there and to explore different opportunities and career options within advertising. Another RSO I found most valuable was Her Campus, an Illinois organization that provides an online hub for women by providing content that is both a resource and a source of entertainment, highlighting campus news, events, campus photos, fashion and lifestyle content specifically tailored for women in Illinois. Staff members will gain journalism, marketing, publicity, and digital media experience. These RSOs are great for gaining those advertising skills and getting hands-on experiences.
What advice would you give to new students in media? I would advise new students to take advantage of as many opportunities as they can. You never know where something might lead, so it’s important to stay open and be proactive. Networking is also huge so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and build those relationships with your professors and advisors—you never know what opportunities they can provide. The more people you know and the more visible you are, the better positioned you’ll be. It really comes down to confidence and initiative; if you know you’re qualified for something, go for it. Also joining RSOs that tie into your interests is very important; you can learn so many things from them and RSOs help you explore different interests you may have. So don’t feel like you have to join an RSO that is all about advertising; you can join a journalism club or a film club. Keep your interests and options open. The same goes for media classes. Just because you’re an advertising student doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to just advertising classes.
What advice would you give to current advertising students who are looking to network? My biggest piece of advice would be to be yourself. It sounds simple, but staying true to who you are makes a huge difference. Don’t be shy or scared to put yourself out there—just go for it. Confidence is also key. You have to believe in yourself and trust that you belong here. Even if something feels intimidating at first, having the confidence to try can lead to really meaningful opportunities and personal growth. It is also really important to take advantage of any opportunities that come your way; you never know where those opportunities may lead you. Joining RSOs is also super important in college and getting involved on campus is the best way to meet new people, build skills, and to find your place in the community.
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Bo Ravanh is a Class of 2026 media and cinema studies major.
What inspired you to choose media and cinema studies as your major, and how did you decide that College of Media was the right fit for you? I believe cinema is something magical. A film can bring so much good into the world. To me, that’s what the art of filmmaking is about—creating these little worlds and putting them on screen. They can change minds, shift perspectives, and leave a lasting impact. That belief is what pulled me in. The power of cinema is something I take seriously, and I would say never underestimate it. What drew me to this major was not just the subject itself but also the community. The College of Media is a place full of people who care about media and storytelling the way I do. So, choosing the media and cinema studies major felt like the right step to build on that interest and take it further.
How have opportunities at the College of Media or involvement in student organizations helped you grow in media and cinema studies? Through my media and cinema studies courses, I have built a strong understanding of both the technical aspects of filmmaking and the art and subtext that gives a story emotional resonance with the audience. The MACS courses helped me to understand how people interpret and respond to films, including myself.
I have also been able to apply what I learn in the classroom. I joined the Illini Film and Video RSO as an opportunity to explore filmmaking in a more hands-on setting. It gave me practical experience in content production and film analysis, and it was a great way to collaborate and build connections with a community of student filmmakers who have inspired me to keep learning.
What course within the College of Media have you enjoy or would like to recommend to other students? If I had to choose a favorite, I’d say MACS 320: Popular Culture. It’s primarily taught by Dr. Josh Heuman, who is a fantastic professor. The class covers a lot of interesting topics and helped me see how popular media affects not just us as individuals, but the world around us. I think that kind of perspective is really valuable for students who are interested in pursuing a career in content creation.
Looking back, what personal or academic achievement are you most proud of, and what is the most useful skill you gained from your time at College of Media? I’d say one of my biggest personal achievements in college was making a 40-minute short film with a friend. It was an adventure story called The Heart of Daphne, and we didn’t make it for a class. It came entirely from our own motivation and love for filmmaking. Looking back, I don’t think we could have pulled it off without everything we’d learned here. We even hosted a big premiere, and a lot of people showed up to watch. It was such a fun and meaningful experience; it might be my favorite memory from college and definitely something I’m proud of.
What advice would you give to other incoming students? One piece of advice I’d give is to trust your own voice. In college, especially within the filmmaking community, you’ll come across a lot of opinions about how things should be done. That actually turned out to be one of the biggest challenges for me. For a while, I felt like I had to follow a certain way of doing things to be seen as successful.
What helped me move past that was going back to the reason I started making movies in the first place. When I was a kid, I picked up a [camcorder] and started filming just for the fun of it. There were no rules, no expectations, just creativity and excitement. Remembering that helped me realize that filmmaking isn’t just about following rules. It’s about passion, creativity, and finding your own rhythm. It’s about exploring your own ideas and creating something that feels true to you. So, my advice is to stay curious and learn, because there is a lot to take in here. But also hold on to your perspective. Use what you learn to shape your own style. That is how you grow, and that is what makes you unique as a creator.
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Aaron Anastos is a Class of 2026 dual degree student majoring in journalism and anthropology.
What made you choose journalism at Illinois? My older siblings went to Illinois, so I was already familiar with the campus. I started off as an undeclared major but by getting involved in The Daily Illini and UI7 Newsroom, I started to realize how much I enjoyed storytelling. Illinois has such a strong journalism program that I ended up declaring my major in journalism.
What student organizations have you joined? Since my freshman year, I’ve been an opinions writer for The Daily Illini and a feature reporter for UI7 Newsroom. During my time at The Daily Illini, I served as assistant opinions editor from 2023-2024. In the UI7 Newsroom, I have my own segment called, “Aaron Anywhere.” If you get involved, you slowly start to get to know everybody and build connections.
What classes have you enjoyed the most? I was lucky enough to take JOUR 205: History of American Journalism with Stephanie Craft, professor of journalism and associate dean for academic affairs, my freshman year. Dr. Craft is a very passionate professor and has a great knowledge of journalism. It gave me a really deep appreciation for the course. Another class that stands out is JOUR 217: Content Producing for UI7. It was like a boot camp for broadcasters and in that class, I learned I wanted to get involved with journalism. It also helped me make friendships that I still have today.
You were awarded the Ebert Fellow role for 2024-2025. What has this experience been like? I get the opportunity to work with Michael Phillips, a film critic for the Chicago Tribune. He mentors us on writing different pieces, such as film reviews and film criticisms. We get feedback from him and get different experiences within the film industry. We recently went to the True/False Film Festival to cover the event, and it was a really cool experience. We also hold screenings every month, curating certain films through the Ebert Center. The most recent one we did was Dog Day Afternoon.
Do you have any advice for incoming College of Media students? Do not be afraid to get involved and get out of your comfort zone. Some of the most impactful experiences I’ve had in journalism have been ones that have gotten me completely out of my comfort zone. Also, know that we have a very tight-knit community in journalism. We all have each other’s backs.
