The University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public has announced the addition of two new faculty members who will help expand the CIP’s interdisciplinary depth and expertise.
Yuan Hsiao (above, at left), an assistant professor in the UW Department of Communication, explores the intersection of political communication, social media, and social networks. He is particularly interested in bringing a social network perspective to understanding a variety of communication and social processes, such as how networks on social media contribute to protest mobilization, how social interactions shape the production of misinformation and public opinion, how spatial and social relationships affect the spread of religion, or how community networks affect health behavior.
In her research, Katy E. Pearce (above, at right) focuses on social and political uses of technologies and digital content in the transitioning democracies and semi-authoritarian states of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, but primarily Armenia and Azerbaijan. Dr. Pearce, an associate professor in the UW Department of Communication, holds an affiliation with the Ellison Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies at the UW Jackson School for International Studies.
CIP-affiliated faculty and research fellow appointments are two years and those who apply and are selected are eligible for renewal. Affiliated faculty members and research fellows participate in various activities of the center; can utilize CIP research infrastructure and resources; and can apply for CIP Innovation Fund grants.
