ProfessorDirector, Institute of Communications Research Affiliations Education Course Specialties Research and Creative Endeavor Mike Yao’s research focuses on the social and psychological impacts of interactive digital media. He conducts research and writes on a variety of topics such as online behavior, digital literacy, and computer-mediated communication. His current interest is in how users perceive and […]
Category: Faculty
Marisa Peacock
Senior Lecturer Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Marisa Peacock is the founder and chief strategist of The Strategic Peacock, helping organizations implement effective social media strategies. As a senior lecturer, she teaches the Sandage Project, digital content and social media management and AI and Advertising. She also leads the Social Media Lab, where advertising students […]
Ewa Maslowska
Associate Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Ewa holds a Ph.D. in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam and an M.A. in Psychology from Jagiellonian University and completed postdoctoral research at Northwestern University. Ewa has been published in International Journal of Advertising, Computers in Human Behavior, Journal of Marketing Management, Decision Support Systems, and others. Awards […]
Christopher Ball
Assistant Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Dr. Ball is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism. Before joining the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he was a research assistant and instructor while working on his PhD at Michigan State University. During this time, he worked extensively on various grant funded research projects and […]
Alison Davis
Senior Lecturer Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Alison Davis has been producing national documentaries for over two decades. Her programs have received numerous awards including seven regional Emmy Awards and over 20 Emmy nominations. Davis produced documentaries for the Big Ten Network when she joined Illinois’ Division of Intercollegiate Athletics / Public Affairs in April […]
Kevin Wise
Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background I came to the College of Media in 2013 after spending 9 years at the Missouri School of Journalism, where I co-founded and co-directed the PRIME Lab and taught in the School’s Strategic Communication sequence. Research and Creative Endeavor My research explores the psychology underlying interactive media use. In […]
John Wirtz
Associate Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Wirtz received a Ph.D. in mass communication in 2009 from the University of Minnesota. His studies there focused on how theories of human behavior (primarily grounded in psychology) can help us better understand how exposure to mass media content influences our thoughts and behavior. After completing his Ph.D., […]
Patrick Vargas
Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Vargas double-majored in philosophy and psychology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and went on to pursue graduate studies in social psychology (with a minor in quantitative psychology) at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, he worked most closely with professors Bill von Hippel, Rich Petty and Bob […]
Harsh Taneja
Associate Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties Background Harsh Taneja is interested in how people consume media. He teaches and researches about media audiences, an area that is relevant to all media majors and beyond, regardless of whether they want to pursue advertising, journalism or media studies. His teaching draws on contemporary and historical conversations about […]
Leona Yi-Fan Su
Associate Professor Affiliations Education Course Specialties * made the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students Background Dr. Su is a faculty affiliate at the Institute of Communications Research, the Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA), and the Informatics Programs. She is on the editorial board of Environmental Communication and has served as a reviewer for the […]