Our commitment to bridging the gap between academia and industry drives our latest endeavors in areas such as artificial intelligence, crisis communication, health communication, social media, esports and more. Our faculty and students are pushing the boundaries of media and communications, translating groundbreaking research into real-world solutions. Discover how our creative activity and cutting-edge research are shaping the future of journalism and mass communications, preparing our graduates to lead and innovate in an ever-evolving media landscape.
Journal Articles
Health Communication
Addiction is Not a Choice.” #narcansaveslives: Collective Voice in Harm Reduction on TikTok
Kelli Boling, Ciera Kirkpatrick and Valerie Jones
Journal of Communication in Healthcare
Neutrality and impartiality in Midwestern U.S. newspapers: community-oriented newspaper journalists reporting of environmental water problems in agricultural and ranching states
Jessica Walsh
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The Impact of Interaction Time and Verbal Engagement with Personal Voice Assistants on Alleviating Loneliness among Older Adults: An Exploratory Study
Changmin Yan and Valerie Jones
Public Relations Review
Analyzing Media Valence Shifts: The Association Between a U.S. PR Firm's Engagement and Kenya's Portrayal in U.S. Media
Dane Kiambi
Rural Sociology
Gleaning rural journalism: Rural journalists’ agricultural and environmental reporting utilizing community storytelling networks
Jessica Walsh
Communication & Sport
Perjurers, rapists, and zealots are ending abortion”: Sports journalists’ symbolic annihilation of women athletes on social media during the national loss of abortion rights
Kelli Boling, Jessica Walsh, Brian Petrotta and Jason Stamm
Frontiers of Digital Health
Understanding older people's voice interactions with smart voice assistants: A new modified rule-based natural language processing model with human input
Changmin Yan and Valerie Jones
Journal of Health Communication
Exploring the Strategic Use of TikTok for Clinical Trial Recruitment: How Audiences' Prior Short-Form Video Usage Influences Persuasive Effects
Ciera Kirkpatrick
Howard Journal of Communications
From critical pedagogy to communication activism pedagogy in a large lecture classroom: Increasing awareness, knowledge, and a desire for change
Kelli Boling
North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology
A Marketplace (Failure) of Ideas: Foreign Disinformation Campaigns in an Age of Generative-A.I. and a Proportionality Approach to Falsehoods
Michael Park
Journal of Extreme Events
Are You Watching or Warning? the Role of Comprehension, Warning Lead Time and Prior Experience On Individual Preparation of Tornadic Events
Cory Armstrong
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Mitigating Identity-Related Anxiety through Humor and Immersive Storytelling with 360-Degree Video in Virtual Reality: A Study on Microaggressions’ Mental Health Effects
Changmin Yan, Adam Wagler and Alan Eno
Contemporary Drug Problems
Algorithmic Doors to Community and the Trap of Visibility: TikTok for Harm Reduction Activism in the U.S. Overdose Crisis
Ciera Kirkpatrick, Kelli Boling and Valerie Jones
Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media
Idealized Motherhood on Social Media: Effects of Mothers’ Social Comparison Orientation and Self-Esteem on Motherhood Social Comparisons
Ciera Kirkpatrick
Journal of Communication Technology
My good friend’: Why “older old” adults continued to use voice assistants during COVID-19
Valerie Jones and Jessica Walsh
Communication & Sports
Displaced and diminished: How the placemaking value of "being there" influences play-by-play broadcasters' professional identity
Brian Petrotta
Affective Science
A More Connected Future: How Social Connection, Interdisciplinary Approaches, and New Technology Will Shape the Affective Science of Loneliness
Valerie Jones
JMIR Infodemiology
TikTok as a Source of Health Information and Misinformation for Young Women in the United States: Survey Study
Ciera Kirkpatrick
Health Communication
Trust Me, I'm a Doctor: How TikTok Videos from Different Sources Influence Clinical Trial Participation
Ciera Kirkpatrick
Healthy Aging
Reducing Loneliness and Improving Social Support among Older Adults through Different Modalities of Personal Voice Assistant
Valerie Jones and Changmin Yan
Journalism and Mass Communication Educator
Visual Communications Curriculum for the 21st Century: A Longitudinal Assessment of a Communication Design Program
Adam Wagler
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Using short-form videos to get clinical trial newcomers to sign up: Message-testing experiment
Ciera Kirkpatrick
Media Report to Women
Femicide Frames in Ireland’s Two Leading Newspapers, the Irish Independent and The Irish Times
Maria Marron
Journalism and Mass Communication Educator
It’s in the Syllabus: What sport media instructors communicate to students
Jason Stamm and Brian Petrotta
Books & Book Chapters
The Routledge Companion to Business Journalism
The Sound of Business Journalism
Jill Martin and Kaci Richter
Creative Works
Grants
University of Alabama
Risk Information During Weather Events
Cory Armstrong
$26,726Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences
Nurturing Connections, Breaking Loneliness - An AI-Powered Journey into Senior Social Well-being
Valerie Jones
$3,600Stanton Foundation
Rural Journalism Internship Program
Rick Alloway and Shari Veil
$148,465Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences
Building Browser Extensions for Instagram and TikTok to Increase Algorithmic Media Literacy and Shape Attitudes toward Algorithms
Bryan Wang
$2,400University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Council
Nebraska News Map: Examining how and where Nebraska communities get local news
Jessica Walsh
$10,000University of Nebraska | Nebraska Research Initiative
Social (and Traditional) Media Analytics and Research Tools Lab (SMART-Lab).
Cory Armstrong | Valerie Jones | Bryan Wang
Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences
Nurturing Connections, Breaking Loneliness - An AI-Powered Journey into Senior Social Well-being
Valerie Jones
$3,600More Achievements
Media Mentions
- Kirkpatrick, Ciera. "UNL study reveals social media can increase cervical cancer screenings in young women." KETV. 5 January 2024.
- Boling, Kelli. "Can true crime help victims of crime?" RTE. 5 February 2024.
- Fernando, Alex. "Hands-on journalism lessons fuel Fernando’s recruitment work." Nebraska Today. 9 February 2024.
- Petrotta, Brian. "'This year is going to set records': Expert warns people about sports betting apps." KETV. 10 February 2024.
- Wang, Bryan. "UNL students aim to expand education on active shooter situations, compete in national competition." 10/11 Now. 16 February 2024.
- Waite, Matt. "Lawmakers look to curb AI’s impact on elections, but bills stall in packed session." 10//1 Now. 6 March 2024.
- McCoy, Barney. "If schools won’t ban kids’ cellphones, some lawmakers say, they will." Alabama Reflector. 13 March 2024.
- Park, Michael. "Let the sunshine in: What to know about your right to public information in 4 Midwest states." Iowa Public Radio. 15 March 2024.
- Kirkpatrick, Ciera. "Nebraska study illuminates social media trap for new moms." Nebraska Today. 20 March 2024.
- Graves, Chris. "Reverse engineering and story construction." Nieman Storyboard. 2 April 2024.
- Kirkpatrick, Ciera. "Social media comparisons lead some moms to have lower self-esteem, Nebraska study finds." Nebraska Public Media. 17 April 2024.
- Boling, Kelli. "How do true crime podcasts impact public interest in criminal cases?" Fox News. 29 April 2024.
- Armstrong, Cory. "Armstrong helping strengthen impact of severe weather alerts." Nebraska Today. 9 May 2024.
- Fernando, Alex and Green, Ahman. "Big Red Summer Camps include opportunities in virtual reality, education, esports." 10/11 Now. 10 May 2024.
- Kirkpatrick, Ciera. "UNL professor publishes study highlighting social media impacts on new mothers." 10/1 Now. 12 May 2024.
- Armstrong, Cory. "Do you know what a 'tornado warning' means? Study funds many do not." Omaha World-Herald. 16 May 2024.
- Armstrong, Cory. "'It's very concerning': UNL study shows misunderstanding of tornado weather alerts." KETV. 17 May 2024.
- McCoy, Barney. "'Running Towards the Fire': UNL film tells story of Omaha-born war reporter's D-Day jump into Normandy." Omaha World-Herald. 28 May 2024.
- McCoy, Barney. "America’s first parachuting World War II correspondent: Weapons and Warfare." Straight Arrow News. 5 June 2024.
- Boling, Kelli. "Research highlights TikTok as tool in opioid harm reduction." Nebraska Today. 9 July 2024.
- Green, Ahman. "Paris 2024 Olympics By The Numbers." WalletHub. 10 July 2024.
- Boling, Kelli. "Nebraska researchers working on national opioid awareness campaign." Nebraska Public Media. 12 July 2024.
- Emmons, Betsy and Sorensen, Erin. "FOR THE LOVE OF COMPETITION: Upcoming women's sports bar in Omaha part of growing trend nationwide." KMTV News 5 September 2024.
- Boling, Kelli. "A New Podcast Is Examining Why We’re Obsessed With True Crime Podcasts." Huffington Post. 6 September 2024.
Presentations
- Hachtmann, F., Shrader, J., & Stamm, J. (2024, March). Nebraska Volleyball Day. Presentation at the International Association on Communication in Sport Summit, Los Angeles, CA.
- Petrotta, B., & Reisbig, M. (2024, March). It's in the syllabus: What sport media instructors communicate to students. Paper presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Midwinter Conference, Norman, OK.
- Waite, M. (2024, April 27). AI in the newsroom. Presentation at the Nebraska Press Association conference, Lincoln, NE.
- Changmin. (2024, May). Examining disparities in the association of obesity with sociodemographic factors along the rural-urban continuum. Paper presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Omaha, NE.
- Armstrong, C., & Baldinelli, S. (2024, June 12-14). Expertise or experience: Comparing discussion of drought between audiences and agencies. Abstract accepted for presentation at the American Meteorological Society’s Seventh Conference on Weather Warnings and Communication, Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Park, M. (2024, June). A marketplace (failure) of ideas: Disinformation campaigns, market-based coercion and an affirmative democratic theory of the First Amendment. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, Broadbeach, Australia.
- Jones, V. (2024, June). Ageing with technology: Multiple interfaces for social connection. Panel presentation at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, Broadbeach, Australia.
- Walsh, J. (2024, June). Distinguishing water information disparities: Framing and sourcing of water quality stories in rural and urban communities in Midwestern states. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, Broadbeach, Australia.
- Walsh, J. (2024, June). Collaboration in rural journalism: How rural journalists work together within the journalistic field. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, Broadbeach, Australia.
- Hachtmann, F. (2024, July). Crisis Response Advertising: Key Strategies for Brand Communicators. Presentation at the ON Brand Conference, Omaha, NE.
- Walsh, J., Perreault, M., Perreault, G. (University of South Florida), & Lincoln, L. (2024, August). ‘I’m not the environment reporter’: Climate change reporting perspectives among rural journalists. Paper presented at the Community Journalism Interest Group, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Walsh, J., & Boling, K. (2024, August). Tweeting about #Roe: Journalists’ media messages in the civil sphere during an emotional, political story. Paper presented at the Participatory Journalism Interest Group, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Perreault, G., Perreault, M. (University of South Florida), Lincoln, L., & Walsh, J. (2024, August). “That s**t is hard to get away from” The labor of working alone in rural journalism. Paper presented at the Broadcast and Mobile Journalism Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Hachtmann, F. (2024, August). The impact of COVID-19 on DEI practices in the advertising industry: An introspection. Paper presented at the Minorities and Communication Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- White, L. (2024, August). Response to Black and White female television anchors: Effects of audience race and expectation violations. Paper presented at the Minorities and Communication Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Armstrong, C., Baldinelli, S., Medcalf, S. (University of Nebraska Medical Center), & Smith, K. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln). (2024, August). Debated, deluged or disappeared: The flow of public discussion surrounding drought in FEMA Region 7. Paper presented at the Mass Communication and Society Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Jones, V. (2024, August). Keynote: Shaping the Future of AI: Human-Driven Impact in a Data-Driven World. Thrive, Nelnet’s marketing conference, Lincoln, NE.
- Scovel, S. (University of Tennessee), & Boling, K. (2024, August). "Can you believe this was once a football school?": Social media fan discourse before, during and after Nebraska's record-setting volleyball game. Paper presented at the Commission on the Status of Women, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Park, M. (2024, August). Balancing the First Amendment with national security in a new era of great-power competition. Paper presented at the Law & Policy Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Wagler, A. (2024, August). Exploring generative AI as part of the design and creative process. Paper presented at the Advertising Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Walsh, J., Graves, C., & McCoy, B. (2024, August). 'Oh baby, when you write like that, you make an editor go mad': Using TikTok and video platforms to increase AP Stylebook efficacy and build community. First place in Teaching News Terrifically, Newspaper and Online News and Scholastic divisions, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Wang, B. (2024, August). Informational and experiential antecedents and trust outcome of dataveillance and data profiling perceptions. Paper presented at the Advertising Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference, Philadelphia, PA.
- Hachtmann, F. (2024, October). Canvas New Quizzes. Panel presentation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Academic Technologies Learning Series, Lincoln, NE.
- Park, M. (2024, November). Critical legal developments that have arisen with social media regulation and their implications for social media doctrine. Panel presentation at the National Communication Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
- Kiambi, D. (2024, November). Communicating Greater Regard of Ubuntu: Public Relations Role in Public Participation Mandate in Kenya. Paper presented at the National Communication Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
- Baldinelli, S. (2024, November). Outside the Water Lines: How Resource Dependency Impacts Drought Communication. Paper presented at the National Communication Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
- Veil, S. (2024, November). Respondent for panel: Navigating Corporate Crises with Integrity: Corporate Social Advocacy and Ethical Approaches in Crisis Communication. National Communication Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
Awards
- Anderson, K. (2024). January Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Boling, K. (2024). December Professor of the Month. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Student Advisory Board.
- Boling, K. (2024). Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Early-Career Woman Scholar Award, The Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University and the AEJMC Commission on the Status of Women.
- Doleman, B. (2024). Professor of the Month. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Student Advisory Board.
- Franzen, Z. (2024). March Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Hill, S. (2024). Professor of the Month. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Student Advisory Board.
- Kirkpatrick, C. (2024). Top poster award. Kentucky Conference on Health Communications.
- McCoy, B. (2024). Award of Merit. Eric Sevareid Awards, Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association conference.
- McCoy, B. (2024). Running Towards the Fire [TV documentary]. Best Documentary, May-June Indian Independent Film Festival competition.
- McCoy, B. (2024). Running Towards the Fire [TV documentary]. Grand Prize in the TV documentary category, Marina del Rey Film Festival.
- McCoy, B. (2024). Running Towards the Fire [TV documentary]. Award of Excellence in the Documentary competition, Broadcast Education Assocaition On-Location Creative Works Competition.
- Richter, K. (2024). First place award. Eric Sevareid Awards, Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association conference.
- Richter, K. (2024). March Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Shrader, J. (2024). Award of Excellence in sports radio. Broadcast Education Awards competition.
- Smith, A., & Hamel, H. (2024). Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Walsh, J., Graves, C., & McCoy, B. (2024). 'Oh baby, when you write like that, you make an editor go mad': Using TikTok and video platforms to increase AP Stylebook efficacy and build community. First place, Teaching News Terrifically, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
- Waite, M. (2024). Winner, Esports tournament. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
- Wagler, A. (2024). Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Wang, B. (2024). Informational and experiential antecedents and trust outcome of dataveillance and data profiling perceptions. Second-place open research paper, Advertising Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
- Wenz, J. (2024). January Not Too Shabby Award. University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications Staff Council.
- Waite, M.(2024). Nonprofit News Award for Exploratory Journalism.
Appointments
- Armstrong, C. (2024). Fellow, Daughterty Water Institute.
- Blackstock, N. (2024). Member, First Generation Advisory Board, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Graves, C. (2024). Member, First Generation Advisory Council, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Green, A. (2024). Member, Board of Directors, USA Esports.
- Hachtmann, F. (2024). Member, International Advisory Committee, University of Nebraska.
- Hachtmann, F. (2024). Chair, Professorships Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Jones, V. (2024). Board member, Nebraska Fulbright Chapter.
- Jones, V. (2024). Fred A. and Gladys Seaton Professor, University of Nebraska.
- Lee, L. (2024). Editorial Board Member, Journal of Media Law and Ethics.
- Petrotta, B. (2024). Research Fellow, ESPN.
- Shrader, J. (2024). President-Elect, Faculty Senate, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Shrader, J. (2024). Fellow, Developing Excellence in Leadership Program, University of Nebraska.
- Smith, A. (2024). Elected Member, Staff Senate, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Veil, S. (2024). Large/XL-sized Program Representative, Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.
- Veil, S. (2024). Jane T. Olson Endowed Dean, University of Nebraska.