Ki EchoSphere: Emerging Media & Social Innovation Lab

We leverage cutting-edge technologies such as the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and chatbots to tackle critical social challenges, including climate change and mental health. Our research explores how organizations use emerging media to communicate with their publics on pressing social issues and investigates the outcomes of these interactions. Through this work, we aim to advance both the understanding and practice of strategic digital communication in addressing today’s most urgent societal concerns.

Lab Director

Eyun-Jung Ki, Ph.D., Professor

Current Members

 Tugce Ertem-Eray, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University) 

PhD, University of Oregon (2022)
​Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alabama 
Ph.D., Istanbul University, Turkey
M.A., Istanbul University, Turkey
B.A., Yildiz Technical University, Turkey

Research Interests
Strategic Communication, Conflict Management, Diversity

Ziyuan (Jason) Zhou, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Bentley University)

PhD. University of Alabama (2019) 
 M.S., Boston University
 B.B.A., Shanghai International Studies University

​  Research Interests
 Crisis Communication and Management, Corporate Social Responsibility Communication,
 Public Relations Measurement

Jeyoung Oh, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan-Flint)

Ph.D., The University of Alabama (2020)
M.A., The University of Alabama
B.A., The University of Alabama

​Research Interests
New Media in Public Relations, Organization Sustainability Communications, Nonprofit Public Relations

Jooyoung J​ang, Ph.D. (Research Fellow)

Ph.D., University of California, Davis (2018)
M.A., University of Alabama  
M.A., Yonsei University, Korea 
B.A., Seoul Women’s University, Korea 
 
Research Interests
Emotional Well-being and Digital Health, Online Supportive Communication, Intercultural Communication (Immigrant groups)

Dayoung Kang (Assistant Professor at State University of New York at Cortland)

Ph.D., University of Alabama (August, 2024)
M.A., Ewha Womans University 
B.A., Ewha Womans University 
Research Interests
-Factors affecting the organization-public relationship

  • -the roles of organizational diversity in relationship building
  • -the strategies to build an organization-public relationship in Web 3.0
  • -Developing public relations strategies for public health organizations and ways to boost mental health among young adults.  

Miaohong Huang (ABD, 4th Year Doctoral Student)

Ph.D., University of Alabama (expected 2025)
M.A., Xiamen University
B.A., Xiamen University

Research Interests

  • AI in strategic communication
  • Health communication
  • Crisis management

Jiali Zhang (1st year doctoral student)

Trainees

  • Darlington Nwachukwu
  • Junyan Lu ​

Alumni

Yuanwei Lyu 

​Sumin Shin, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University)