Crisis Communications Scholars present research at PR conference

A banner features three photos of Crisis Communications Lab Scholars at a PR conference, standing by IPRRC signs or seated at a table, with a red background and the title Crisis Communications Scholars present research at PR conference.
Several CCTT Crisis Insights & Analytics Lab Scholars along with CCTT Lab director Yan Jin and member Timothy Coombs attended the International Public Relations Research Conference in Orlando, Florida. Attendees included (photo 1, left to right) Ruoyu Sun, Yan Jin and Lauren Flaker ; (photo 2 left to right) River Gracey and Rongting Niu and (photo 3) Anyi Morfaw. (Photos/courtesy of participants)

Crisis Communications Scholars present research at PR conference

March 20, 2026

Several Crisis Communications Think Tank (CCTT) Insights & Analytics Lab scholars and faculty attended and presented research at the 2026 International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC)  in Orlando, Florida, March 5-7.

Scholars attending included Lauren Flaker, River Gracey, Jingyuan (Jimmy) Kong, Anyi Morfaw, Rongting Niu, and Yi (Ansley) Zhao. Faculty attending included Timothy Coombs, CCTT member; Yan Jin, the C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership and CCTT director; and Ruoyu Sun, assistant professor. 

Taylor Voges (PhD ’23), director of analytics for Big Valley Marketing and a CCTT core partner, was also in attendance along with research group collaboration partners from Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication.

Papers presented by lab student scholars included: 

Lauren Flaker (Ph.D. student), Temilade Adeeko, and Nicole Cortes (UGA SPIA undergraduate student). “When Outrage Strikes: Managing the Public’s Moral Outrage through the Lens of the Triadic Appraisal of Crisis Communication.”

River Gracey (Ph.D. student) and W. Timothy Coombs. “Do You Know Your People? A Systematic Look into Employee Doubt Pertaining to Organizational READINESS for Culture and Environment Triggered Risks and Crises.” 

Rongting Niu (Ph.D. candidate) and Winni Johansen. “Mapping Sticky Crises through the Rhetorical Arena: A Topic-Led Model.”

Jingyuan (Jimmy) Kong (Ph.D. student) and GuangLun Hsiang (Ph.D. student). “How Public and Private Universities Apologize in Scansis? A Content Analysis of Social Media Posts and User Reactions.” 

Anyi Morfaw (fourth year Yarbrough Communications Fellow). “Infrastructure, Integrity, and Influence: Organizational Ethics and Media Dynamics in the 2025 California Palisades Wildfires.”

Yanan Wu, Lanlan Zhang (Ph.D. student), Yi (Ansley) Zhao (Ph.D. student), and Alayoubi Rehab. “When Advocacy Backfires: Mitigating Moral Outrage in Corporate Social Advocacy.”

A panel of five, including Crisis Communications Lab Scholars, sits on a stage in a conference room, facing an audience at round tables. A woman at the podium speaks as large mirrors reflect participants and chandeliers hang above.
Jin co-leads IPRRC opening panel with communication scholar and practitioner leaders. (Photo/ Yan Jin)

Throughout the IPRRC, these Crisis Insights & Analytics Lab scholars were accompanied by Grady faculty and alumni, as well as CCTT-affiliated scholars. 

Opening the conference, Dr. Yan Jin, C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership and  director of the CCTT, Grady College alumna  Dr. Taylor Voges (Big Valley Marketing), senior conference coordinator of IPRRC, co-led a panel discussion, “Innovation in Ethical Relationship and Academia-Industry Collaboration: How PR Scholars and Practitioners Explore the New Frontiers of Strategic Management of Complex Issues and Multi-Stakeholder Communications”. Joined by panel co-leaders Dr. Denise Bortree (Penn State), Holly Overton (Penn State), and Colby Vogt (Covo Intelligence), scholars and practitioners discussed cross-cultural communications, practical frameworks, and decision making tools in AI-disrupted media and communication environments. 

One of the IPRRC on-site collaboration highlights is the in-person research gathering of students, alumni and faculty from UGA’s CCTT Crisis Insights, and Analytics Lab and Penn State Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication Research Group. This CCTT and Page Center cross-institutional research partnership has produced numerous innovative research initiatives and projects, leading to opportunities for many students and researchers, scholars and practitioners alike, to explore advanced pathways in academia-industry collaboration. 

Six people, including Crisis Communications Lab Scholars, sit around a round table in a conference room, engaged in discussion. A laptop and drinks are on the table. Some have notepads, and two are reflected in a wall mirror behind them.
CCTT Reaearch Fellow River Gracey (white polo shirt) presents his paper with co-author and CCTT member Timothy Coombs (grey button up). (Photo/Yan Jin)

The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the CCTT have long maintained a strong presence at the IPRRC, fostering a collaborative environment that brings students and researchers together. 

“UGA CCTT has been an important part of IPRRC for many years, and Yan Jin serves on our board. It’s no surprise that UGA had so many people attend this year,” Sean Williams, Executive Director and CEO of the IPRRC said. 

“We especially appreciate when undergraduates get the opportunity to join us. For many it’s their first brush with graduate school, and we like to think we treat them just like grad students and professors. That is, we listen, discuss, offer suggestions and generally support their scholarly journeys–UGA is a great program and we are delighted to welcome students and scholars every year!” 

A group of thirteen Crisis Communications Lab Scholars sit around a long wooden table in a well-lit restaurant, smiling at the camera. The table has drinks, dishes, and flowers. Warm hanging lights and light-colored walls decorate the space.
CCTT lab and Page Center research group scholars, alumni and friends smile for a photo at a collaboration lunch. (Photo/River Gracey)

Dr. Timothy Coombs, a CCTT member and world-renowned crisis management expert, has played a significant role in supporting the CCTT, including mentoring student researchers in the Crisis Insights & Analytics Lab. This year, Coombs co-authored  and co-presented a paper on employee doubt with River Gracey, a Grady doctoral student and CCTT Research Fellow.

As UGA crisis communication scholars continue to contribute research insights that matter to theory and practice, grounded in the academia-industry connected, interdisciplinary  and international collaboration model, the CCTT at UGA Grady college looks forward to advancing graduate and undergraduate crisis research impact by creating a space for innovation and cocreation.

Author: Anyi Morfaw, abm40431@uga.edu