Assistant Professor Archives

Walker

About

Dr. Walker’s teaching specialties focus on how social justice and race issues are covered in journalism.

Education

Ph.D., Mass Communication, University of South Carolina
M.A., Mass Communication/Journalism, University of South Carolina
B.S., Radio/Television, Sam Houston State University

Teaching

Race and Media, Qualitative Methods, Social Justice Journalism, Multiplatform Journalism, Theory, Writing for Broadcast, Digital

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Walker is an award-winning television news journalist and journalism scholar who focuses on race and media. Mainly through qualitative methods, her work captures the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented journalists in the digital age, social justice, activism, police shootings, maternal health, and has a growing interest in racialized mis/disinformation. Her dissertation focuses on the experiences of Black journalists and their connections with the Black community. She is passionate about addressing issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in college classrooms and newsrooms.

She has presented research at regional and national AEJMC conferences which include 8 top paper awards. Her research is published in Journalism Practice, Social Media + Society, Journalism, Cultural Studies<–>Critical Methodologies, and Journal of Sports Media.

Experience

Previously, Walker worked in several behind-the-scenes roles in television news markets including Augusta, GA; New York, NY; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Columbia, SC—covering some of the nation’s biggest stories. Walker’s experience working in and managing a T.V. newsroom inform her teaching and academic research.

Awards & Fellowships

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Fellow, 2018-2022
Grace Jordan McFadden Professors Program, 2018-2022
Breakthrough Graduate Scholar, University of South Carolina, 2021
PhDigital Doctoral Bootcamp, 2020
Dr. Paula Poindexter Student Research Grant, 2020

Lee

About: Sanghoon Lee teaches in our MFA Film, Television and Digital Media program. When he is not teaching, he is a director, producer, writer and cinematographer for independent film projects.

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Education

MFA, Film, Video, New Media, and Animation, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
BA, Philosophy, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea

Experience

Lee has completed several award-winning dramatic features as the cinematographer and producer, including Second Moon (2007), Chicago Heights (2009) and Hogtown (2014). His credits also include feature documentaries Edit (2003), Today We Saw the Face of God (2011), and Breakfast at Ina’s (2015). In 2018 he wrote directed his first feature film, Banana Season.

Recently, Lee served as cinematographer for a variety of short films and documentaries, including Fugue (2019), What Remains: The Burning Down of Black Wall Street (2021), and The Birder (in post-production), as well as the feature film, Ghostwriter (2021).

Currently, Lee is working as a producer and the cinematographer on a feature documentary project, Art and Pep (in post-production). The documentary tells the important story of Chicago’s crucial role in America’s LGBTQ+ movement through the eyes and love of two men at the helm of the progress over the past 40+ years. The film will be completed in the spring of 2022.

Before UGA, he taught film production and studies at Governors State University, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, DePaul University and Northwestern University. He is a native of South Korea.

Kadri

Education

Ph.D., Yale Law School
J.D., University of Michigan Law School
M.A., University of St. Andrews

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About

Thomas E. Kadri joined the University of Georgia School of Law faculty in the fall of 2020 as an assistant professor. He also holds a courtesy appointment at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and serves as an affiliate faculty member at the Institute for Women’s Studies.

Kadri’s research focuses on torts, cybercrime, privacy and how law regulates technology and information. His scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in journals including the UCLA Law Review, Texas Law Review, Utah Law Review, Maryland Law Review, and Michigan Law Review. He has also been published in media outlets including The New York Times and Slate.

Before entering academia, Kadri served as a judicial clerk for Judge M. Margaret McKeown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Thomas Griesa of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He has also worked as a visiting scholar at Insper São Paulo and an adjunct professor at New York Law School.

Born and raised in England, Kadri received his Ph.D. in Law from Yale Law School, where he was a Mellon Fellow. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of St Andrews and his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. While in law school, he served as executive editor of the Michigan Law Review, was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and received the Henry M. Bates Award—the school’s highest honor. He also attended Emory University as a Bobby Jones Scholar.

Mohammed

About:

Dr. Mohammed teaches courses in global media industries and entertainment. Her research focuses on Global South media industries, feminisms, broadcast media, and development communication.

Personal website: wunpini.com

Other Affiliations: African Studies Institute

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Education

Ph.D., Mass Communications, the Pennsylvania State University
M.Sc., Rhetoric & Technical Communication, Michigan Technological University
B.A., English and Spanish, University of Ghana
Diploma, Spanish, la Universidad de Cienfuegos “Carlos Rafael Rodriguez,” Cuba

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Mohammed teaches courses in global media industries and entertainment studies.

Her research employs qualitative methodologies by way of ethnography, interviews, focus groups, textual analysis etc. to interrogate and challenge power politics in media production, distribution and reception. Her research and teaching converge in ways that enable her to guide her students towards employing empathetic and ethical approaches to their work in media.

Dr. Mohammed has presented her work at national and international conferences such as the International Communication Association (ICA), the International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC), the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), the National Communication Association (NCA) conference, the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) Conference and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference (AEJMC).

She has worked as a radio journalist in Ghana for several years and has done some public scholarship on Al Jazeera, DW, The Guardian, Dazed, The Financial Times, Global Voices, Okay Africa, and several Ghanaian media platforms including the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

Her research is published in peer reviewed journals such as African Journalism Studies, Journal of Radio and Audio Media and Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology. She has won top paper awards at the International Communication Association (ICA), the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and other academic conferences.

African Women in Digital Spaces: Redefining Social Movements on the Continent and in the Diaspora Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed “African Women in Digital Spaces: Redefining Social Movements on the Continent and in the Diaspora,” Invited Keynote Speaker, University of Bayreuth (Germany), hosted by the Africa Multiple […]

2022 Paula Kantor Award for Excellence in Field Research Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed was named winner of the 2022 Paula Kantor Award for Excellence in Field Research by the International Center for Research on Women. She received $2500 for the […]

Why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, “Why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses.” Feminist Media Studies, doi: 10.1080/14680777.2022.2098798 Abstract: Although there is some scholarship on intersectionality focusing on African feminist movements, more work needs […]

Feminist accountability: deconstructing feminist praxes, solidarities and LGBTQI+ activisms in Ghana Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, “Feminist accountability: deconstructing feminist praxes, solidarities and LGBTQI+ activisms in Ghana.” Communication, Culture & Critique, doi: 10.1093/ccc/tcac031 Abstract: This article examines how mainstream Ghanaian feminist organizations worked to support LGBTQI+ communities […]

University of Georgia Sarah H. Moss Fellowship Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed was selected as a University of Georgia Sarah H. Moss Fellowship recipient. She received a $10,000 award for her research project: “Media and Decolonization: Re-righting the Subaltern […]

Dismantling the Western Canon in Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: Although there have been extensive discussions on decolonizing the field of media and communication(s), not much attention has been paid to the way that curricula reproduce colonialism, imperialism and racism […]

Communication in Context: How Culture, Structure and Agency Shape Health and Risk Communication about COVID-19 in Ghana Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: Despite impressive strides toward proper health education about the pandemic, in resource-limited contexts, health information dissemination occurs within a structural context that restricts the enactment of agency and leads to […]

Bilchiinsi Philosophy: Decolonizing Methodologies in Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: Despite recent calls for decolonization in academia as a whole and the fields of communication studies and media studies in particular—with a focus on narratives such as #CommunicationSoWhite and […]

Decolonizing the Curriculum in Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Baansi ni Yila: A critical study of the music industry in Northern Ghana Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: This study examines the intricacies of the expanding music industry in Northern Ghana, focusing on the perspectives of artistes. The contemporary popular musicians of Tamale, one of Ghana’s biggest […]

Bilchiinsi Philosophy: Decolonizing Methodologies in Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: In recent times, there have been calls for decolonization in academia as a whole and the field of communication and media studies with particular focus on narratives such as […]

Why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, Honorable Mention in the 2021 Stuart Hall Award at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference. “Why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses” […]

Decolonizing African Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

This paper won First Place in the Faculty Paper Awards also known as the Robert L. Stevenson Open Paper Competition. It also won Best Paper in African Journalism Studies Award. Abstract: Drawing […]

Why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: Several African scholars have theorized about the evolution of feminist movements on the continent but there has been little focus on the importance of employing an intersectional feminist framework […]

Baansi ni Yila: A critical history of the music industry in Northern Ghana Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: This study examines the intricacies of the expanding music industry in Northern Ghana, centering the perspectives of artistes. We examine how artistes create and produce music, how they market […]

Decolonizing African Media Studies Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: African Media Studies which is marginalized in the Global North academy lacks not only representation from African students/scholars but is also under-theorized. Employing a decolonial approach, this article presents […]

Community Radio in Contemporary South Africa – Deconstructing Complexities in Demarginalization Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed

Abstract: We used on-site interviews and roundtable conversations with practitioners to uncover original evidence of ways in which two variant South African communities activated citizens’ involvement in radio co-production of […]

Teaching Specialties

In addition to teaching classes in global and international media, Dr. Mohammed has taught classes in qualitative research methods, public relations and feminist studies. Her teaching philosophy is creating excitement in the classroom and equipping students with the tools to succeed in their careers and to bring positive change to their communities.

Experience

Prior to pursuing a PhD, Dr. Mohammed worked as a radio journalist for 5 years. She later worked in digital media writing where her work has been published on various Ghanaian and international media platforms such as Al Jazeera and Global Voices. She brings these industry experiences to enrich her teaching in the classroom.

Awards and Fellowships

Awards

First Place in the Faculty Paper Awards also known as the Robert L. Stevenson Open Paper Competition in the International Communication Division at AEJMC (2021)
Best Paper Award for African Journalism Studies, in the International Communication Division at AEJMC (2021)
Honorable Mention in the 2021 Stuart Hall Award at the International Association for Media and Communication Research – IAMCR – (2021)
Best Paper Award for African Journalism Studies, Global Communication and Social Change Division, ICA (2019)
2nd Prize Winner, Student Paper Award for Ethnicity and Race in Communication Division, ICA (2019)
Pansy E. Jacobs Jackson Top Student Paper Award (2018)
Djung Yune Tchoi Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award, Penn State (2019)

Fellowships

Lilly Teaching Fellow, 2021-2023, University of Georgia
Kopenhaver Fellow, 2021: Sponsored by the AEJMC Commission on the Status of Women, the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication.
Media & Islam in Africa Fellow, University of Florida’s Center for African Studies, the Center for Global Islamic Studies and the Department of Religion (Postponed due to COVID-19, 2020).
PhDigital Bootcamp 2019 Fellow, a John S. and James L. Knight Foundation funded fellowship, Texas State University (2019)

Bernabo

About: Dr. Bernabo teaches undergrad courses in global and domestic media industries and representations. Her primary research focus is global television flows, with an emphasis on translation.

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Education

Ph.D., Communication Studies, University of Iowa
M.A., Communication Studies, University of Iowa

B.A., Gender & Women’s Studies and Economics, University of Illinois

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Bernabo researches the Spanish-language translation of popular U.S. television programs for Hispanic audiences, as well as other international programs like “Squid Game.” Her approach to this research considers translation as both a process — a professional activity governed by industrial norms and constraints — and the text produced by that process. She has spent time at dubbing studios in Mexico City and Miami, FL in order to observe the translation process and interview Spanish-language script writers, directors, and dubbing actors. Her focus on translation as texts emphasizes the construction of gender, race, sexuality, and other forms of identity. When she is not traveling for research, Dr. Bernabo’s secondary area of scholarship considers the construction of these identities in U.S. programs.

Dr. Bernabo has presented her work at national and international conferences including Console-ing Passions, OSCLG, IAMCR, and ICA. Her research is published in peer-reviewed journals such as Critical Studies in Media Communication and Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media.

So You Think You Can Parent: Dual-Screen Responses to Single Fathers Tropes in Single Parents Laurena Bernabo

Bernabo, Laurena, and Jennifer Turchi. “So You Think You Can Parent: Dual-Screen Responses to Single Fathers Tropes in Single Parents.” Men & Masculinities. Abstract: As the U.S. single-father population expands, we explore how […]

Copaganda and Post-Floyd TVPD: Broadcast Television’s Response to Policing in 2020 Laurena Bernabo

Laurena Bernabo, “Copaganda and Post-Floyd TVPD: Broadcast Television’s Response to Policing in 2020.” Journal of Communication 72 (4):488-496. Abstract: After George Floyd was murdered in 2020, U.S. police procedurals faced increased scrutiny […]

“(De/Re)Constructing LGBT Characters in Latin America: The Implications of Mexican Dubbing for Translating Marginalized Identities.” Laurena Bernabo

Abstract: This article responds to calls for more detailed analyses of localization around the world (E. Castelló, 2009; E. Levine, 2009; S. Waisbord & S. Jalfin, 2009) by examining a Mexican dubbing […]

Media Imports and the One-Inch Barrier: Translation Debates in the Pose-Parasite Era Laurena Bernabo

Abstract: This chapter aims to explore popular discourses surrounding Parasite and other media imports in the U.S. vis-à-vis translation practices like dubbing and subtitling. I use Parasite as an entry point to critically examine […]

(De/Re)Constructing LGBT Characters in Latin America: The Implications of Mexican Dubbing for Translating Marginalized Identities Laurena Bernabo

Abstract: This article responds to calls for more detailed analyses of localization around the world (Castelló, 2009; Levine, 2009) by examining a Mexican dubbing company and its translation of LGBT […]

Whitewashing Diverse Voices: (De)Constructing Race and Ethnicity in Spanish-Language Television Dubbing Laurena Bernabo

Abstract: When television programs are translated for global audiences, languages are changed, but so too are constructions of diverse identities. Characters who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) […]

Whitewashing Diverse Voices: (De)Constructing Race and Ethnicity in Spanish-Language Television Dubbing Laurena Bernabo

Whitewashing diverse voices: (De)constructing race and ethnicity in Spanish-language television dubbing Laurena Bernabo

Teaching Specialties

Dr. Bernabo’s teaching specialties include global media flows, productions and industries; U.S. media industries; and mediated representations of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and other forms of identity.

Awards and Fellowships

Anita Taylor Outstanding Published Article Award, 2020
Cheris Kramerae Outstanding Dissertation Award, 2018
Ballad & Seashore Fellowship, University of Iowa, 2017
ICA’s Top Paper Award for Media Industry Studies Division, 2016

Lough

About: Dr. Lough studies visual communication and solutions journalism, with an emphasis on photojournalism. He teaches graduate-level visual communication method & theory, as well as undergraduate photography and journalism ethics & diversity courses.

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Kyser Lough on Twitter

Kyser Lough personal website

Education

Ph.D., Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin

M.A., Mass Communication, Murray State University

B.A., Public Relations, Murray State University

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Lough researches visual communication and solutions journalism, both with an emphasis on photojournalism. He aims to advance the field of visual journalism further by incorporating his work into professional, research and classroom spaces.

His research explores questions of power, access and boundaries. Within visual communication, he studies how news images are made, selected and interpreted, as well as the photographers themselves in how they define and operate within their field as they fight for legitimacy and job security. His solutions journalism work investigates how it is conceptualized/created, audience effects and the interplay of words and images. Solutions journalism, a growing field of interest within journalism studies, compels journalists to go beyond just reporting about problems in a community by also covering what people are doing about it.

Dr. Lough has presented his research at both national and regional AEJMC conferences, as well as at ICA and specialty conferences. His research is published in peer-reviewed journals such as Journalism, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Journalism Practice, Visual Communication Quarterly, Digital Journalism and The Agenda Setting Journal.

Teaching Specialties

Dr. Lough’s teaching specialties include visual communication, specifically photojournalism, graphic design and visual method/theory, as well as general newswriting, ethics and related journalism courses.

Experience

Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Lough spent 10 years as a photojournalist, reporter and public relations practitioner. His work has appeared for the Associated Press and NCAA and in the Austin American-Statesman, Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier-Journal, Murray Ledger & Times and American Hunter Magazine among others. He continues to freelance as a photographer in Athens and specializes in concert and sports photography.

Awards/Fellowships

Top 22 Under 40 Racer Young Alumni, Murray State University, 2022

Special Collections Libraries Faculty Fellow, University of Georgia, 2021

Rock Star Reviewer, International Communication Association, Visual Communication Studies division, 2020

Selected participant, Solutions Journalism Educators Academy, 2019

Graduate School Summer Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin, 2019

Jesse H. Jones Fellowship, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin, 2018

Inclusive Classrooms Leadership Certificate Seminar, 2018

Assmann

About: Karin Assmann is the former U.S. correspondent for Spiegel television and has written, reported and produced for radio, broadcast and online publications before turning to academia. She teaches Introduction to Video Journalism and Information Gathering.

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Education

Ph.D., Journalism Studies, University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
M.Sc., History of Political Thought, London School of Economics and Political Science
B.S., School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Assmann’s research focuses on newsroom sociology. She studies issues such as the effects of audience engagement practices on journalists, affirmative action initiatives and their impact on work culture and institutional responses to attacks on news media organizations. Other interests include press freedom, censorship and cybersecurity.

Community Journalism Interest Group Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann will be discussant for the Community Journalism Interest Group at this year’s AEJMC Southeast Colloquium.

Are women journalists in leadership changing work conditions and newsroom culture? Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann & Eckert, S. (Accepted, 2023) “Are women journalists in leadership changing work conditions and newsroom culture?” Journalism. Abstract: Using standpoint epistemology and critical mass theory this study analyzes […]

Whistleblowers and their faith in journalism Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann. “Whistleblowers and their faith in journalism” has been published (online first) in Journalism Practice and was featured in Mark Coddington and Seth Lewis’ column RQ1 and in the Nieman Lab newsletter. Abstract: […]

Whistleblowers and their faith in journalism Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann. “Whistleblowers and their faith in journalism,” Journalism Practice (forthcoming). Abstract: Reporters, to enact their role as watchdogs and their commitment to uncovering corporate or governmental wrongdoing, often must […]

She said, ‘Enough!’ Women-led protests around the world from a communication perspective Karin Assmann

Karin Assman is an invited panelist for an AEJMC ICD panel entitled: “She said, ‘Enough!’ Women-led protests around the world from a communication perspective” on November 17. She’ll be talking about initiatives in […]

From liberal bias to ‘fake news’: Sean Hannity’s election season media-bashing from 2012-2020 Karin Assmann

Abstract: Fox News navigates Sean Hannity’s complicated status as a member of the news media by describing him as a political commentator and talk show host. His self-assigned role as media critic […]

Fuzzy Boundaries: Journalists telling branded stories Karin Assmann and Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Brand Studios have become ubiquitous in news outlets across the United States. Situated in news organizations with the attention of audiences that brands hope to reach, these in-house creative studios […]

From Liberal Bias to Fake News: Sean Hannity’s election-time media bashing from 2016 – 2020) Karin Assmann

William Newlin, a Double Dawg, presented the paper “From Liberal Bias to Fake News: Sean Hannity’s election-time media bashing from 2016 – 2020),” co-authored with Karin Assman, at the AEJMC […]

Change comes from the top: bringing diversity into newsroom leadership Karin Assmann

Panel proposal accepted for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) annual conference, August 2022.

Pushing Fuzzy Boundaries: Advertising, Journalism Ethics and Professional Identities in Branded Newsrooms Karin Assmann and Alexander Pfeuffer

Panel proposal accepted for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) annual conference, August 2022. Panelists: Alexander Pfeuffer, Ava Sirrah, Columbia University (PhD candidate).

Enemies of the Press: Global harassment, abuse and violence against journalists Karin Assmann

Panelists: Florence Namasinga Selnes, Oslo Metropolitan University; Celeste Gonzáles de Bustamente and Jeannine E. Relly, Arizona State University; Kaitlin Miller, University of Alabama; Kalyani Chadha, Northwestern; Prashanth Bhat, Eastern Connecticut […]

Women in newsroom leadership in Germany 30 years after reunification: A West German domain? Karin Assmann Read More

From liberal bias to ‘fake news’: Sean Hannity’s election- season media-bashing from 2012-2020 Karin Assmann

Abstract: This study analyzes Sean Hannity’s rhetoric about the news media before, during and after the three most recent presidential elections. We treat Hannity’s discourse as metajournalistic discourse (Carlson, 2016) that […]

Judging Oprah Karin Assmann

Abstract: When viewers tuned in to watch Oprah Winfrey’s interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex earlier this year, they celebrated Winfrey’s interview style on Twitter. All but crowning […]

Women in editorial leadership: A West German Domain? Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann and Stine Eckert presented their study “Women in editorial leadership: A West German Domain?” on September 24, 2021, in Magdeburg, Germany. Dr. Eckert was present and Dr. Assmann […]

Understanding and building communication and information needs in rural Georgia Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann presented “Understanding and building communication and information needs in rural Georgia” at the 2021 Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) Annual Conference at Penn State (held virtually) on September 15, […]

Vice Head of AEJMC’s Cultural and Critical Studies Division Karin Assmann

Karin Assman started her tenure as Vice Head of AEJMC’s Cultural and Critical Studies Division.

AmeriCorps’ for Student Journalists in Georgia: A Program to Bring News Coverage to Rural Communities Karin Assmann

The 2021 Baskett Mosse Award for Faculty Development has been awarded to Karin Assmann, Georgia, for her proposed project, “‘AmeriCorps’ for Student Journalists in Georgia: A Program to Bring News Coverage to Rural […]

Communication rituals, alternative media regimes and enactments of participatory journalism in rural ‘news deserts’ in Georgia Karin Assmann

Abstract: “News deserts’ are defined as communities with inadequate access to news sources (Abernathy, 2018; Stites, 2011). In an environment increasingly polarized, with social media platforms that support the spread […]

The “ProQuote” initiative: Women journalists in Germany push to revolutionize newsroom leadership Karin Assmann

Abstract: Using standpoint epistemology and critical mass theories this study examines outcomes of the 2012 ProQuote [ProQuota] initiative in Germany demanding at least 30% women in leadership per newsroom. In-depth […]

Communication rituals, alternative media regimes and enactments of participatory journalism in rural ‘news deserts’ in Georgia Karin Assmann

Karin Assmann and Ev Andrews.(Grady MA student). “Communication rituals, alternative media regimes and enactments of participatory journalism in rural ‘news deserts’ in Georgia.” Accepted for presentation at AEJMC’s 2021 Midwinter […]

Whistleblowers and their faith in journalism: The (d)evolution of trust among the sources that journalists need most Karin Assmann

Abstract: Using in-depth interviews conducted with 12 U.S. whistleblowers who contacted the press in the 1970s through the 2010s, this paper examines changing perceptions of the news media and journalists […]

We are the People: Audience Engagement as Catalyst for Newsroom Unionization? Karin Assmann

Abstract: This study explores the tension between management, journalists and their audience around audience engagement with a focus on the role of newsroom unionization. Ethnographic work in three U.S. newsrooms […]

Lügenpresse: The lying press and German journalists’ responses to a stigma. Karin Assmann

Abstract: The term Lügenpresse, ‘lying press’, was used by the German National Socialist Party before and during the Third Reich to discredit the news media and to undermine public trust. […]

Mary Ann Yodelis Smith Award for Feminist Scholarship for: “A quota for women in online newsroom leadership? Lessons from the ProQuote initiative in Germany;” Commission on the Status of Women, AEJMC 2019
Stevenson open research competition; top paper award (third place) for “ProQuote: A German woman journalists’ initiative to revolutionize newsroom leadership” InternationalCommunication Division, AEJMC 2018

Evans

About: Matthew Nolte Evans is an award-winning writer and Assistant Professor of Screenwriting in the Department of Entertainment and Media Studies at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Originally from Denver, Evans moved to Los Angeles in 2011 where he sold a feature screenplay to HBO Films and was inducted into the Writers Guild of America, West (WGA). Since then, he has written or developed film and television projects for numerous directors and producers, including Thomas Carter, Michelle Manning, Daniel Ragussis, and Eric Christian Olsen at CBSTV.

Education

MFA, Film Production-Screenwriting, Columbia University, New York City
BFA, Film Production, University of Colorado, Boulder
BA, Film Studies, University of Colorado, Boulder
BA, English-Creative Writing, University of Colorado, Boulder

Experience

Prior to joining Grady College in 2019, Evans taught undergraduate and graduate screenwriting courses at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF); Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD); and New York Film Academy, Los Angeles (NYFA). He also previously worked as a Reader/Story Analyst for Pressman Films, The Tribeca Film Institute, Alcon Entertainment, and Amazon Studios.

Teaching Specialties

Evans specializes in genre writing, adaptation, and leading screenwriting workshops for feature, short film, and television writing. Previously, he oversaw MFA thesis screenplays at both CSUF and NYFA. In 2020, Evans created and taught the first undergraduate Writing for Television course offered at Grady College.

Awards and Fellowships

2012-present: Writers Guild of America, West
2021: Stowe Story Lab, Sidewalk Narrative Lab—Selected Project
2021: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Screenplay Festival—Winner
2020: Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition—Semifinalist
2020: CineStory Feature Retreat—Selected Project
2020: ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship—Semifinalist
2016: Columbia Blue List, Hosted by The Black List—Winner
2012: Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting—Semifinalist
2011: Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting—Semifinalist
2009: Alfred P. Sloan Feature Screenwriting Award—Winner

Clementson

About: Dr. Clementson teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level public relations. His research examines the effects of public figures and politicians dodging questions. When he isn’t on campus teaching, running experiments, and cheering for the Bulldawgs, he loves watching the Atlanta Braves and the Oakland Athletics, and he plays the drums. He and his wife Laura have two sons, who are bilingual in English and Brazilian Portuguese.

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Education

Ph.D., Communication, The Ohio State University
M.A., Communication Studies, University of Miami
B.A., Political Science, James Madison University

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Clementson runs experiments testing how politicians and business spokespersons dodge reporters’ questions and whether audiences notice. He builds theoretical models that explore how the public will cognitively process deception in media interviews. His latest studies assess whether the public can detect when a company spokesperson is dodging questions amidst a company crisis, and the different ways a public figure might deceive audiences. His work has been published in Journal of Communication, Public Relations Review, Political Psychology, Communication Studies, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Discourse & Communication, Mass Communication and Society, International Journal of Sport Communication and Journal of Political Marketing. His research has also appeared in Politico, NPR, NBC News, the Boston Globe, the Daily Mail, Scientific American, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Houston Chronicle, the Huffington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Examiner, New York magazine, Psychology Today and Newsweek.

Communication Education David Clementson

David Clementson was identified as one of the Top 25 most prolific researchers published in communication journals in the five-year period from 2017 to 2021. The finding appeared in the […]

Society frowns upon spinning and so do the alleged spin doctors: Tests of present and future crisis communicators responding to spin in the media David Clementson

David E. Clementson & Beatty, M. J. (in press). “Society frowns upon spinning and so do the alleged spin doctors: Tests of present and future crisis communicators responding to spin […]

Are presidential candidates impervious to deception detection? A test of voters’ truth-default David Clementson and Tong Xie

David E. Clementson & Xie, T. (Grady ADPR Ph.D. grad). (2022). “Are presidential candidates impervious to deception detection? A test of voters’ truth-default.” Presidential Studies Quarterly, 52(4), 728–747. http://doi.org/10.1111/psq.12809 Abstract: […]

COVID Impact Research Recovery Funding grant David Clementson

David E. Clementson, COVID Impact Research Recovery Funding grant from the UGA Office of Research/Academic Affairs/Provost, for a proposal to experimentally test “Impact of (In)Civility in Messaging Through Political Debates.” […]

The Science of Winning Media Interviews David Clementson

David Clementson gave a talk entitled “The Science of Winning Media Interviews” as part of a June 7, 2022, training session held by Maven Strategies, a Democratic political consulting firm […]

Approaching the public relations profession with ease and ethical expertise: A class project to encourage, equip, and empower students entering the internship market David Clementson

David E. Clementson, (in press). “Approaching the public relations profession with ease and ethical expertise: A class project to encourage, equip, and empower students entering the internship market.” Communication Teacher. […]

Approaching the profession with ease and ethical expertise: A class project to encourage, equip, and empower students for entering the internship market David Clementson

Abstract: Public relations and strategic communication are offered in communication departments with a field of study largely geared toward professional communicators. The majors place a heavy emphasis on internships which […]

How Politicians Dodge Questions and How They Get Caught: Strategies for Political Campaigns, Journalists, and Voters David Clementson

Masterclass virtual – Escuela de Comunicación, Universidad Panamericana, Campus Guadalajara (Zapopan, Jalisco), México – Sept. 20, 2021

). Effects of a “spin doctor” in crisis communication: A serial mediation model of identification and attitudes impacting behavioral intentions David Clementson

Abstract: This paper combines theories of identification and image repair to explain why an organization in crisis should avoid designing messages that engage in “spin.” An experiment is reported (N = […]

(In)sincere demeanor and (in)sincere language in crisis communication David Clementson

Abstract: Perceptions of a crisis communicator’s sincerity drive reactions to an organization’s response amidst a scandal. However, a spokesperson can nonverbally appear sincere while deceptively evading questions and can appear […]

What does it mean to have a presidential image? A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis measuring Trump and Biden in 2020. David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: U.S. presidential candidates aspire to have a “presidential image.” Political communication researchers, media pundits, political scientists, pollsters, campaign consultants, and other political marketers speculate about who is “presidential” and […]

The power of style: Sincerity’s influence on post-crisis reputation David Clementson

Abstract: Crisis communication scholars have suggested that sincerity is critical to an effective crisis response, and a robust body of research suggests that certain mannerisms and communication styles can make […]

Sincerity vs. honesty: Testing a spokesperson’s deceptive demeanor and veracity in crisis communication David Clementson

Abstract: Mass communication research has long indicated that during a scandal an organization’s spokesperson should exude sincerity. However, no research has examined the deceptive and misleading nature of sincerity. In […]

What does it mean to be “presidential”? A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis of the invariance of indicators in a unidimensional scale David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: U.S. presidential candidates aspire to be perceived as “presidential.” Political communication researchers, political scientists, pollsters, campaign consultants, and media pundits speculate about who is “presidential” and “unpresidential.” No prior […]

The power of political journalists as deception detectors and how politicians reactivate voters’ truth-default David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: Journalists serve as deception detectors for voters. Sometimes politicians refute journalists’ assertions. How do voters discern whom to believe? Based on cognitive sequences posited by truth-default theory (TDT), experiments […]

Reviewer of the Year award for the journal Mass Communication and Society David Clementson

David Clementson has won the Reviewer of the Year award for the journal Mass Communication and Society. The editor said, “This year we worked hard to identify one winner on […]

Top Faculty Paper David Clementson and Tong Xie

Clementson, D. E., & Xie, T. (2021, May 27-31). The power of political journalists as deception detectors and how politicians reactivate voters’ truth-default [Paper presentation]. International Communication Association 71st Annual […]

How partisan voters detect deception in polarizing political media David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: The public considers politicians to be deceptive. Empirical research, however, indicates voters fail to notice deception from politicians in practice. An experiment was run in which U.S. voters (n […]

Are deceitful politicians impervious to scrutiny? A test of voters’ truth-default David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: Truth-default theory (TDT) holds that people tend to passively believe others without consciously considering whether they are being told the truth. But do voters have a truth-default toward politicians? […]

The power of political journalists as deception detectors and how politicians reactivate voters’ truth-default David Clementson and Tong Xie

Narratives as viable crisis response strategies: Attribution of crisis responsibility, organizational attitudes, reputation, and storytelling David Clementson

Abstract: This article expands situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) to narrative persuasion. In a randomized experiment featuring a news interview of a scandalized company, an organization’s spokesperson responds to a […]

Narrative storytelling and anger in crisis communication David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: This paper reports a test and extension of the model posited by the theory of crisis response narratives, in which the public manifests identification with a spokesperson who tells […]

On the merits of transparency in crisis: Effects of answering vs. evading through the lens of deception theory. David Clementson and Tong Xie

Abstract: This article applies interpersonal deception theory (IDT) to crisis communication. As strategic communicators, spokespeople representing organizations in crisis often evade questions in media interviews. Upper management and legal counsel […]

Truth Bias and Partisan Bias in Political Deception Detection David Clementson

Every two years the International Association of Language and Social Psychology selects a Top Paper Award. This year the award was given to David Clementson for “Truth Bias and Partisan […]

Effects of partisan bias on perceptions of evasion in a political news interview David Clementson and Tong Xie 106th National Communication Association conference, Political Communication division, Indianapolis, IN.

Clementson, D. E., & Xie, T. (Grady PhD student) (2020, Nov.). Effects of partisan bias on perceptions of evasion in a political news interview. Paper to be presented at the 106th […]

Narrative storytelling and anger in crisis communication Tong Xie and David Clementson 106th National Communication Association conference, Public Relations division, Indianapolis, IN

Clementson, D. E., & Xie, T. (Grady PhD student) (2020, Nov.). Narrative storytelling and anger in crisis communication. Paper to be presented at the 106th National Communication Association conference, Public […]

Narrative persuasion, identification, attitudes, and trustworthiness in crisis communication David Clementson 106th National Communication Association conference, Public Relations division, Indianapolis, IN

Clementson, D. E. (2020, Nov.). Narrative persuasion, identification, attitudes, and trustworthiness in crisis communication. Paper to be presented at the 106th National Communication Association conference, Public Relations division, Indianapolis, IN. […]

Deceptive Evasion in Politics: Addressing a Divide in Research and Reality David Clementson

David Clementson was awarded a $9,800 grant from UGA Office of Research’s “Faculty Seed Grants in the Sciences” for my proposal entitled “Deceptive Evasion in Politics: Addressing a Divide in […]

Narrative persuasion, identification, attitudes, and trustworthiness in crisis communication. David Clementson

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to test the effects of narratives in crisis communication. This research assesses how organizations benefit from using stories in their media responses, relative […]

David Clementson receives Top Paper Award David Clementson

David Clementson received a Top Paper Award for “Let Me Tell You Our Side of the Story: Narrative Immersion in a Crisis Communication Media Interview.” Paper to be presented at […]

Grant to David Clementson David Clementson

David Clementson was one of three people nationally to receive a seed grant from the Glen M. Broom Center at San Diego State for his study investigating the effectiveness of […]

David Clementson received a $500 grant from the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations David Clementson

David Clementson received a $500 grant from the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations, at San Diego State University to test narrative persuasion strategies and crisis […]

Why won’t you answer the question? Mass-mediated deception detection after journalists’ accusations of politicians’ evasion David Clementson

Abstract: Journalists often accuse politicians of dodging questions. Truth-default theory (TDT) predicts that when journalists serve as de facto deception detectors, the audience will process the messaging through a cognitive […]

Ethical public relations vs. deceptive spinning: Experimental tests of crisis media relations in theory and practice. David Clementson Read More

How a spokesperson hurts business by being evasive in crisis: Serial mediation effects of identification and attitudes. David Clementson Read More

How web comments affect perceptions of political interviews and journalistic control. David Clementson

Abstract: People are often exposed to polarized viewpoints in web comment sections. Inspired by attribution theory and framing theory, this article tests the effects of comments that frame a politician […]

Do public relations practitioners perceptually share ingroup affiliation with journalists? David Clementson

Abstract: Upwards of 200 studies over the past hundred years have reported on the relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists. However, no experiment has compared the group members’ perceptions […]

Teaching Specialties

Dr. Clementson’s teaching specialties include: introduction to public relations (graduate-level), public relations (honors undergraduate-level), public relations campaigns (undergraduate- and graduate-level) and quantitative research methods.

Experience

Dr. Clementson’s public relations and political communication research is inspired by his professional background. He worked in journalism, politics and public relations for about a decade. He was a journalist for newspapers and magazines, primarily covering politics and government. He ran successful political campaigns for Democrats and Republicans in several states along the U.S. East Coast. He also served as a communication director for a public relations, marketing and advertising firm, a professional opposition researcher for politicians, and the director of communication and press secretary for Attorney Generals. Before coming to UGA, Dr. Clementson was an assistant professor of public relations at California State University, Sacramento, where he was a co-advisor to PRSSA.

Pfeuffer

About: Dr. Pfeuffer teaches strategic communication research and management. His research interests include the psychology of advertising effects and native advertising regulation.

View Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ph.D., Mass Communication, University of Minnesota
M.C.M., Communication Management, University of Southern California
B.A., Communication, George Mason University

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Pfeuffer’s research takes a social psychological approach to the examination of advertising effects. His work is at the nexus of online advertising, consumer behavior, and consumer protection and explores the effects and mechanisms of native and covert online advertising formats. Recently, he has focused on the effects of sponsorship disclosure in electronic word-of-mouth communication. He has presented his research at national and international conferences.

Will Brands Make it if They Fake it? Exploring the Effects of CGI Influencer Disclosures in Sponsored Social Media Posts Alexander Pfeuffer and Jooyoung Kim

Alex Pfeuffer, Haley Hatfield (Ph.D. student), & Jooyoung Kim. “Will Brands Make it if They Fake it? Exploring the Effects of CGI Influencer Disclosures in Sponsored Social Media Posts.” Paper […]

Understanding Personalized Recruitment Ads’ Effectiveness: The Role of Personalization Type and Message Involvement Alexander Pfeuffer

J. Pfiffelmann & Alexander Pfeuffer.(Forthcoming). Understanding Personalized Recruitment Ads’ Effectiveness: The Role of Personalization Type and Message Involvement. Journal of Interactive Advertising. Abstract: In response to the challenge of replacing retiring […]

Fuzzy Boundaries: Journalists telling branded stories Karin Assmann and Alexander Pfeuffer

AAA Research Fellowship Award Alexander Pfeuffer and Joe Phua

Alex Pfeuffer, assistant professor of advertising, and Joe Phua, associate professor of advertising, were awarded a AAA Research Fellowship Award for a 3-year research project studying vlogs and trust cues […]

Pushing Fuzzy Boundaries: Advertising, Journalism Ethics and Professional Identities in Branded Newsrooms Karin Assmann and Alexander Pfeuffer

Reaching the Vaccine-Averse: The Role of Cue-based Trust in COVID-19 Vaccination Social Media Vlogs Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Joe Phua and Alexander Pfeuffer

A multi-method study (Study 1: Focus groups; Study 2: Survey; Study 3: Online experiment) will examine user-generated COVID-19 vaccine information in social media-based vlogs to (1) identify eWOM content attributes […]

Getting to Yes: Vaccinating the Hesitant and Resistant Among Populations who Experience Health Disparities and Lower Vaccination Rates Glen Nowak and Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Getting to Yes is a collaboration with The Tri-County Rural Health Network, UMAS, GSU, and UGA. The overall goal of this work will be to understand the drivers of the […]

Stranger Danger? Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Review Videos Joe Phua and Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Trust is a significant factor in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effects. Consumers often need to form judgments about others using heuristic cues when they cannot rely on previous cumulative experiences with […]

Trusting on a Whim? A Multi-method Inquiry of Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Reviews Alexander Pfeuffer, Joe Phua & Marilyn Primovic

Abstract: Online, consumers often cannot develop trust through cumulative experiences with another party but must instead rely on heuristic cues for their trust formation. Drawing on the theoretical construct of […]

The Portrayal of Forest Certification in National and State Newspapers of the United States Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Forest certification has emerged as a market-based tool to safeguard the sustainability of the world’s forests. Since media can shape public opinion, this study examines media treatment of forest […]

Stranger Danger? Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Review Videos. Alexander Pfeuffer and Joe Phua

Abstract: Trust is a significant factor in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effects. Online, consumers often need to form judgments about others using heuristic cues when they cannot rely on previous cumulative […]

The Effect of Sponsorship Disclosure in YouTube Product Reviews. Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Facing the rising trend of sponsored product reviews posted on social media, government regulatory agencies have published industry guidelines requiring disclosure of sponsorship in social media product reviews. However, […]

Effects of Different Sponsorship Disclosure Message Types on Consumers’ Trust and Attitudes Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Addressing the problem of increasing sponsored eWOM and diverse and confusing disclosure practices, this study examined the effects of different types of sponsorship disclosure messages on (1) consumers’ trust […]

Effects of Different Sponsorship Disclosure Message Types on Consumers’ Trust and Attitudes toward Sponsored eWOM Alexander Pfeuffer

Abstract: Addressing the problem of increasing and diversifying sponsored eWOM on social media, this study examined the effects of different types of sponsorship arrangements and disclosure messages, with focus on […]

Teaching Specialties

His primary teaching interests include research methodology, mass communication theory, and communication management.

Awards and Fellowships

• He was the recipient of the 2017 Ralph D. Casey Dissertation Award (University of Minnesota.)