What happens when AI is built to think like people? Dive into the AI Terrarium, a bold experiment in modeling human belief and persuasion.
Research
A PhD Fueled by Purpose: Michael Aguilar’s 16-Year Doctoral Journey
At 71, Innocorp founder Michael Aguilar completed a 16-year PhD journey at UW–Madison, bridging research, prevention, and real-world impact.
Professor Young Mie Kim Receives Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship
SJMC Professor Young Mie Kim has been awarded the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship for her research in digital media, politics, and democracy.
Shaping the Future of Journalism: SJMC’s Tomás Dodds Founds the Public Tech Media Lab
Tomás Dodds, Director of the Public Tech Media Lab, discusses the importance of equipping journalists with the right artificial intelligence tools in an ever-evolving world.
Assistant Professor Jing Wang Awarded 2025 Public Intellectual Fellow
Jing Wang joins the Public Intellectuals Program, in which she can expand on her research of global communication, technology and culture.
Graduate Student Highlight: Laila Abbas
PhD student Laila Abbas earned an ICA Top Dissertation Award Honorable Mention for her research on how emotionally charged TikTok content can inspire political identity and collective action. In a Q&A, she reflects on the impact of her research and offers advice for aspiring scholars.
Graduate Student Highlight: Tahereh Rahimi
Ph.D. student Tahereh Rahimi won ICA’s Top Student Paper Award in the Communication History Division for her research on press control in Iran during the Qajar Era. She shares what the award means to her, the value of staying true to your academic interests and her favorite memories from the SJMC community.
CCCR Survey Assesses Public Views of Trump’s First 100 Days
Four months into the Trump presidency, a new UW-Madison survey report finds surprising insights on how Americans think about Trump’s first 100 days.
Graduate Student Highlight: Abby Qin
Ph.D. student Abby Youran Qin won AEJMC’s Top Student Paper Award for her research on democratic attitudes and the role of right-wing media in the United States. She reflected on the award, shared insights from her academic journey and offered advice for future scholars.
Graduate Student Highlight: Yanshu Sybil Wang
PhD student Yanshu Sybil Wang was recently awarded the Fall Mini Fellowship from the UW–Madison Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center for Science & Technology Studies to support her research on AI literacy and its impact on adolescents.