About me
Gyo Hyun Koo, Ph.D.
Hello, I am Gyo Hyun Koo! I am an Assistant Professor at Howard University's Department of Communication, Culture, and Media Studies. I received my Ph.D. in Journalism and Media from The University of Texas at Austin, with my dissertation focusing on the impact of news exemplifications on the perception of political polarization.
My research examines how people perceive, select, process, and engage with online information and news. I am also interested in finding ways to make the news more credible and innovative. As a researcher, my goal is to foster digital and health equity by empowering individuals, particularly those from underserved communities, to use information technologies more effectively and ethically.
You can connect with me on Twitter, Research Gate, and Google Scholar (link below):
In my research, I investigate various topics that encompass media, politics, and public health crises. These topics range from specific medical issues like vaccination and COVID-19 to broader concerns such as gun violence and racism. To tackle these topics, my studies are centered around three main areas: (a) comprehending the factors that shape people's beliefs in mis/disinformation and developing strategies to mitigate them, (b) analyzing individuals' political involvement and its impact on political polarization, and (c) examining the portrayal and discussion of politics and health in the (social) media. Methodologically, I have used surveys, experiments, content analyses, and big data/computational analyses. I am capable of advanced statistical analyses, natural language processing, network analysis, and text mining.
My scholarly work appears in prestigious journals within the field, such as Mass Communication and Society, Computers in Human Behavior, Health Communication, and the International Journal of Communication.
For instance, some of my latest studies looked at:
The link between (right-wing) political ideology and politically contested beliefs about COVID-19 (First-author, published in Mass Communication & Society)
Children’s cognitive and affective reactions to news coverage about school shootings (Solo-authored, published in Mass Communication & Society)
Cross-national differences in journalistic role perceptions and COVID-19 news framing (Co-authored, published in International Journal of Communication)
Fun facts about me:
I have two and a half years of work experience as a reporter and editor-in-chief for college newspapers. I wrote the news, managed print and digital publications, and served as an editorial leader. I was recognized with a Best English College Newspapers award in 2014.
Apart from work, I enjoy practicing yoga, drawing, and listening to podcasts. I also play the flute, ukulele, and kalimba.
Name pronunciation: Gyo /kjo(ː)/ Hyun /hjʌn/