The Politics and Communication Lab (PAC Lab) is a collaborative research group that investigates the role of media in the political process. Based in the Department of Communication & Media at the University of Michigan, the PAC Lab is committed to faculty-student collaborative research that addresses important questions related to contemporary political communication.
Using quantitative methodologies such as surveys and experiments, we are particularly interested in understanding how citizens use social media and other technologies to consume news and political information, learn about politics, discuss and share political content with others, and engage in the political process.
The PAC Lab is dedicated to providing an open, diverse, inclusive, and collaborative space for students interested in political communication to develop their research skills. Through close faculty mentoring and weekly meetings, students are involved in all phases of the research process including idea generation, research design, data collection, analyses, and writing. The lab is centered around helping undergraduate students gain research experience outside of the classroom. Graduate students involved in the group will gain research and mentoring experiences to prepare them for leading research teams as faculty.
Contact Information
Email Address: UM-PACLab@umich.edu
Faculty Advisor: Professor Brian Weeks
