Email: sk217@illinois.edu Research Interests Seo-Young (Selene) Kim is a doctoral student at the Institute of Communications Research (ICR). Her research interests lie at the intersection of consumer behavior and human–AI interaction. She examines how people interact with AI and how it shapes their decision-making, particularly in the music entertainment industry. Prior to joining ICR, Selene […]
Category: Institute of Communications Research
Ketan Krishna
Email: ketank2@illinois.edu Research Interests 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, […]
Aiman Kazybayeva
Email: aimank@illinois.edu Research Interests 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 Academic Roles Aiman previously served as Dean of the School of Management at Almaty Management University (AlmaU). […]
Xiaohua (Anthea) He
Email: xiaohua8@illinois.edu Research Interests 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 […]
Thomas Farrenkopf
Email: thomasf9@illinois.edu Research Interests Recent Publications/Presentations 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 What Most People Don’t Know […]
Mandatory media literacy education in Illinois schools impaired by digital divides
August 20, 2025 | Sharita Forrest, University of Illinois News Bureau Teachers and high school students live in vastly different media worlds, and that’s one of several digital divides that undermine the efficacy of state-mandated media literacy instruction in Illinois high schools, a recent study suggests. The researchers—Institute of Communications Research doctoral student Sakshi Bhalla and Michelle Nelson, […]
College of Media welcomes Fall 2025 with faculty promotions and leadership appointments
August 19, 2025 This fall, the College of Media announces two new department heads, seven faculty promotions, and one new faculty member. In the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, Sang-Hwa Oh has been promoted to associate professor with indefinite tenure. Carrie Wilson-Brown has been promoted to senior lecturer. Penne Heede joins the department as […]
Media faculty, students present research at 2025 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual conference
August 19, 2025 Faculty and graduate students from the College of Media co-presented various topics of research at the 108th annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication on August 7-10, 2025, in San Francisco, California. This year’s conference theme was “Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Individual and Collective Opportunities.” Presenters […]
Gregory Hall lower-level renovation photos
July 31, 2025 Thanks to a $2.5M gift from Richard and Leslie Frank in 2024—who endowed the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media in 2020 and enabled the renovation of Richmond Studio—exciting upgrades in the lower level of Gregory Hall began in Spring 2025. This will result in the creation of […]
The future of AI: In the home, on the battlefield, in space, sports and beyond
July 1, 2025 | The News-Gazette I suspect AI will continue to be used to help political strategists in creating, testing and managing campaigns. This means we’ll probably receive even more personalized ads—I’m hopeful that we, as citizens, are able to know what is AI and what is not, and what is truthful and what […]