Please join us in congratulating Dr. Annie Zhang for successfully defending her doctoral dissertation!
Dr. Zhang’s dissertation, “The Scientist’s (Social Media) Playbook: A Triangulated Approach to Understanding Scientists’ Self-Presentation, Audience Norms, and the Public Communication of Science,” offers an incisive, timely, and methodologically rich analysis of how scientists navigate self-presentation on social media and how these choices influence public trust, credibility, and engagement with science.
Drawing from in-depth interviews, a two-wave national panel survey, and a large-scale online experiment, Dr. Zhang’s work reveals:
- The complex identity work scientists undertake in digital spaces;
- The public’s expectations for how scientists should communicate online;
- The persuasive impact of scientists’ self-presentation on audience trust and support.
This outstanding work makes an important contribution to science communication, media psychology, digital media studies, and public engagement scholarship, especially at a moment when scientific authority and visibility are under increasing public scrutiny.
In addition to completing an exceptional dissertation, Dr. Zhang has accepted a highly competitive postdoctoral scholar position at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, where she will continue her research beginning this fall.
The department is enormously proud of Dr. Zhang's accomplishments, and we look forward to seeing the impact of her work in the years ahead.
Congratulations, Dr. Zhang!
