Get to know some of our College of Media Students! Nina Issel is a Class of 2027 journalism major. What made you choose journalism at the College of Media? I realized I enjoyed opportunities to dive deeply into specific topics whether it was researching global conflicts or exploring complex issues in detail and presenting the information. That […]
Email: kmlcook@illinois.edu Research Interests Kirby’s primary research interests are advertising, consumer culture, and identity. Throughout her doctoral program, her research has focused on material possessions, accessibility in advertising, and political advertising literacy. Prior to joining ICR, Kirby worked at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a marketing and communications specialist at Engineering Career Services at […]
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Maria Emilia Mancero is a Class of 2026 advertising major. What led you to your decision to major in advertising at Illinois? I’ve always been artistically inclined, so I knew I wanted to major in something where I could still be creative. Advertising checked all […]
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Liliana Rodriguez is a Class of 2026 journalism major. What led you to your decision to major in journalism at Illinois? Since high school, I knew I wanted to be in front of the camera and behind the mic. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling […]
Email: sjheo2@illinois.edu Research Interests My research focuses on human–AI interaction in advertising and marketing contexts, with particular emphasis on how AI-driven advertising shapes consumer perception, attitude, and underlying psychological mechanisms. Specifically, I examine (1) virtual influencers as persuasive agents, (2) large language model (LLM) interfaces as persuasive environments, and (3) social robots as embodied communicators. […]
Email: azamh2@illinois.edu Research Interests Azam is a multidisciplinary film and theatre artist with an MA in Cinema from the University of Tehran and an MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University. With over eight years of focused experience in filmmaking, she brings a rich background in both artistic practice and academic research. Her […]
Email: luciana8@illinois.edu Research Interests Before joining ICR, I completed my Master’s degree in Media Studies at UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte), in Brazil. My dissertation focused in Quality Television and public journalism. My Bachelor’s degree is in Social Communication with emphasis in Journalism and Radio & Television studies. During my undergraduate I […]
Email: sk217@illinois.edu Research Interests Seo-Young (Selene) Kim is a doctoral student at the Institute of Communications Research (ICR). Her research interests lie at the intersection of consumer behavior and human–AI interaction. She examines how people interact with AI and how it shapes their decision-making, particularly in the music entertainment industry. Prior to joining ICR, Selene […]
Email: ketank2@illinois.edu Research Interests I am interested in the tools and techniques that have been used to manipulate images throughout history. My research investigates the technical and discursive formations that constitute film restoration. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how the manipulation of images is framed through the intersecting histories of image generation, […]
Email: aimank@illinois.edu Research Interests Aiman’s research focuses on advertising, consumer behavior, neuromarketing, and biometrics. She applies methods such as eye-tracking, facial recognition, and GSR to study how consumers process advertising messages and make decisions. Recent Publications and Presentations Academic Roles Aiman previously served as Dean of the School of Management at Almaty Management University (AlmaU). […]