Dr. Hui Zhang

Dr. Hui Zhang is an associate professor in the Department of Communication, where she teaches courses in public relations, intercultural communication, and research methods. She integrates current scholarship with practical experience to help students navigate today’s complex communication landscape. Her areas of expertise include strategic communication, health communication, media effects, and research methods. A Fulbright alumna, Dr. Zhang also advises an award-winning undergraduate team that has competed in the prestigious Arthur W. Page Society/Institute for Public Relations case study competition. Her research examines how digital media shape engagement, uncertainty, and audience response in public relations and strategic communication. Her work has been published in peer reviewed journals such as Public Relations Review, International Journal of Strategic Communication, International Journal of Health, Wellness & Society, and Spotlight on Health Communication Research. Her publications include a systematic review of social media scholarship in public relations, studies of online health-related helping behaviors, and research on how message features, such as hedging and presentation format, affect perceptions of scientific uncertainty. More recently, she has explored how universities use platforms like Instagram to manage strategic ambiguity and engage audiences, offering insights into communication effectiveness in higher education.