Research

Grady Research

Research at Grady College

Pursuing effective messages and stories that have a broad impact.

Faculty and graduate students at Grady College are recognized for their innovative research, critical thinking and thought leadership. From global communication studies and press freedom, to communicating with virtual reality, eye tracking and social media listening, we are leaders in pursuing effective messages and stories that have a broad impact. 

A few of our areas of specialty include:

Crisis communications — led by Dr. Yan Jin who also directs the Crisis Communication Think Tank.

Health & risk communications — led by Dr. Glen Nowak, one of the leading experts on communcations about vaccination acceptance. 

Message testing — featuring our Psychophysiology Suite, which includes eye-tracking equipment, as well as measures for heart and brain response for visual and audio stimulus.

Social media analytics and emerging technologies — featuring our SEE Suite, a social media listening and analytics lab dedicated to studying the messages people are talking about online.

Virtual reality and augmented reality — led by Dr. Grace Ahn, who is directing a $3.3 million grant project right now testing the effectiveness of virtual reality in rewarding children for meeting physical fitness goals.

We invite you to review our areas of expertise and see how we can collaborate on your next project. 

Research Articles

Rise of the Zombie papers: Infecting Germany’s local and regional public media ecosystem
Karin Assmann (Sept. 29) with a German trade publication, JOURNAL about her work on Zombie papers in Germany [Assmann, K. (2023). Rise of the Zombie papers: Infecting Germany’s local and […]
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Preparing the Next Generation of Crisis Communicators
Yan Jin and Greg Trevor. (2023, October). “Preparing the Next Generation of Crisis Communicators.” Education Communicators Boot Camp, P World Conference, October 26-27, Chicago, IL. Summary: As the world becomes more polarized […]
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Security perceptions and Social influence maps
Itai Himelboim (October 20-21, 2023).  Security perceptions and Social influence maps. Presented at 6th Bucharest Security Conference. Bucharest, Romania.
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Humor in Marketing and Digital Applications
Hye Jin Yoon, “Humor in Marketing and Digital Applications,” Invited lecture in Digital Marketing (MKTG370), School of Business, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, October 19, 2023. 
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A Theory Mapping on Humor Psychology
Hye Jin Yoon, “A Theory Mapping on Humor Psychology,” Invitedlecture and seminar for the joint Ph.D. program of the Business School of University of Deusto (Bizkaia, Spain), School of Management at the Instituto […]
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East and West German women journalists in leadership: Perceptions of working conditions and professional practices
Eckert, S. & Karin Assmann (Sept. 22). “East and West German women journalists in leadership: Perceptions of working conditions and professional practices,” Research Colloquium Series. Department of Communication. Wayne State University.
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African Women in Digital Spaces: Redefining Social Movements on the Continent and in the Diaspora
Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed. (October 2023). “African Women in Digital Spaces: Redefining Social Movements on the Continent and in the Diaspora” Invited by the Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership and […]
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The Land of Humans and the Diasporic Imaginary
Benjamin Han, “The Land of Humans and the Diasporic Imaginary,” The 7th World Humanities Forum, November 8-10, 2023, Busan, Korea. Abstract: One of the earliest memories of Latin America in the South […]
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Decoding Demarketing: Publicity and Advertising Congruency Effects in Green Demarketing Efforts
Hye Jin Yoon and Yoon-Joo Lee, “Decoding Demarketing: Publicity and Advertising Congruency Effects in Green Demarketing Efforts,” Paper presented at the Academy of International Business US Northeast Annual Conference Saturday, October […]
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Grady Research Radio Podcast

Grady Research Radio highlights the research and expertise coming out of Grady College, advancing knowledge, innovation and creation in the fields of journalism, advertising, public relations, and entertainment and media studies. It is produced and hosted by Jackson Schroeder, public relations specialist at Grady College.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher.

The Latest

Read the newest headlines, get updates and discover events happening at Grady.

Profiles of Tenacity: Jimena Somilleda

Fourth-year public relations major Jimena Somilleda is motivated to be an advocate for her community. In addition to UGA’s AdPR department, she is involved with the Association of Latino Professionals […]

UGA and Penn State students pose together for a photo.

Cross-institutional collaboration sparks student research on AI, crisis communication

When students from the University of Georgia and Penn State met to kick off a research partnership this past August, they quickly realized they were gaining more than a line […]

A profiles of tenacity graphic featuring a headshot of Karenia Murry.

Profiles of Tenacity: Karenia Murry

Fourth-year journalism student Karenia Murry currently serves as the vice president for the National Association of Black Journalists at UGA. She enjoys the community she’s found through organizations and classes […]

Headshot of Glenna Read over blurred out image of Grady College

Research indicates policing videos contribute to trauma symptoms among Black Americans

Viewing violent police videos can result in trouble sleeping, symptoms of PTSD and feelings of being on guard, especially among Black Americans, according to research published in the Fall 2023 […]

SEE Suite benefits from Brazil PR agency partnership

The week of November 5, a team representing the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Grady College visited Brazil to exchange practices and continue research collaboration. Itai Himelboim, Michael […]

Headshot of NaYoung Song and caption headline reading Nayoung Song takes on Crisis Communication at UGA

NaYoung Song takes on Crisis Communication

After completing her bachelor’s degree at Korea University, NaYoung Song decided to attend the University of Georgia to receive her master’s, becoming the inaugural scholar in a partnership between the […]

Perspectives

“My favorite memory as a Ph.D. student was working as a senior researcher at Grady College’s Digital Media Attention and Cognition (DMAC) Lab. The team would pitch study ideas and work collaboratively to bring those projects to fruition. It was honestly so cool to conduct eye-tracking studies, meet over Jittery Joe’s coffee, and then apply our individual strengths to share our work with others in the field.”

Camila Young

Ph.D. ’20, Social Research Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Perspectives

“It’s exciting to see our student journalists wanting to engage with larger questions about the future of the industry and journalism’s role in society. CURO is a great way to support these emerging scholars as they take their first steps into research.”

Karin Assmann

Assistant Professor, Journalism