The Center for Communication Research (CCR) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison features a cross-collaborative environment of faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate research assistants.
We are proud to say that some of our projects have been funded by external foundations, such as The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and The National Science Foundation. Both student-led and faculty-led projects have won awards from the International Communication Association and the National Communication Association; additionally, many projects have made a splash in the popular press, such as in Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and CBS News.
Ongoing Projects
1. Lyn van Swol‘s project funded by SeaGrant tests persuasive messaging about how to reduce exposure to PFAS chemicals in drinking water.
2. Lillie Williamson is currently working with collaborators from Life Sciences Communication and UBUNTU Research and Evaluation to understand the lived experiences of Black Wisconsinites and how those experiences shape their feelings, beliefs, communication needs, and engagement with health and science (mis)information.
3. Marie Louise Mares works on projects in identity-related uses of media, particularly in family context. She is working on projects related to ethnic-racial socialization and identity, and on LGBTQ identities. She is currently partnering with graduate students and Professor Sijia Yang in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication on projects related to online discourses related to transgender youth. She is also partnering with a former graduate student, Y. Anthony Chen, on a study (funded by the Institute for Diversity Science here at UW-Madison) examining parents’ preferences and responses to different narratives about LGBTQ youth. She has also partnered with the Center for Health Enhancement System Studies (CHESS) here on campus on big, randomized controlled trials of digital interventions to improve health and socio-emotional outcomes in vulnerable patient populations, including older adults and individuals with substance use disorders.
4. Catalina Toma is currently collaborating with Prof. Liesel Sharabi (Arizona State University) and PhD candidate Jinyoung Choi to investigate whether people develop new understandings of themselves as a result of feedback they receive from social media algorithms. She is collaborating on another project with PhD candidate Jinyoung Choi, research associate Chelsea Olson, and professor emeritus Brad Brown to investigate whether using social media to maintain relationships with close friends alleviates loneliness during freshmen’s first semester in college.