About me

Academic Conferences

One of my favorite parts of academic life is packing my bag for conferences like ICA, NCA, and AEJMC — there’s nothing quite like the energy of sharing new ideas, reconnecting with familiar faces, and meeting scholars whose work I admire.

I still remember the excitement (and nerves!) of moderating my first ICA session, and now it’s one of the things I genuinely enjoy, helping conversations flow and spotlighting others’ research.

I am honored to be featured in ICA's Member's Spotlight: Member Spotlight: Hanjie Liu

Academic Appointments

I’m currently honored to serve as the Editorial Assistant for the Journal of Communication (JoC), one of ICA’s flagship journals. It’s been a joy to support the behind-the-scenes work of scholarly publishing — collaborating with editors, associate editors, special issue editors, forum editors, reviewers, and authors to help make the process just a little bit smoother for everyone involved.

One of the kindest surprises came from the editorial team, who wrote:

“In a league of her own, we wish to extend a special thank you to Hanjie Liu, our exceptional Editorial Assistant. The superlatives fall short of capturing the dedication, efficiency, and diligence with which Hanjie has managed the intricate tasks that lie behind the scenes.”

— Ewoldsen, Just, Lee, & Tenenboim-Weinblatt (2023, p. 537)

Awards & Scholarships

Each year, I’ve been honored to receive awards in recognition of my excellence in research, teaching, and scholarship, including:

Michigan State University, Department of Media and Information

College of Communication Arts & Sciences Endowed Scholarship, April 2025
Larry Estlack Memorial Scholarship, April 2024
Conference Travel Funding, 2022 – 2025
Thomas A. Muth, Sr. Endowed Fund in Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, April 2022, 2023, 2025

Graduate Assistantship, Fall 2021

University of Minnesota, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Joel and Laurie Kramer Graduate Fellowship in Health Journalism, Fall 2020
Jean Ward Technology Assistance Scholarship, Fall 2020
HSJMC Graduate Assistantship and Fellowship, 2019 – 2021
Travel and Professional Development Scholarship, 2019 – 2021

Academic Updates

February 2023 – I successfully defended my comprehensive exams!

As part of my comprehensive exam, I developed a theoretical model that captures the dynamic evolution of the “self” through observation, engagement, feedback, and recursive loops of social media use. This theoretical framework aim to capture the boundary conditions of the inconsistent findings of social media studies, and understand the psychological process for social media use in a dynamic perspective.

A heartfelt thank-you to my advisor, Prof. David R. Ewoldsen, and my committee members, Profs. Nancy Rhodes, Brandon Van Der Heide, and David Markowitz, for their guidance and support.

July 2021 - Graduated from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities!

During my M.A. journey in Mass Communication at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, I developed strong research interests in social media use, mental health, health communication, and advertising.

I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Prof. Sherri Jean Katz, and my committee members, Profs. Marco Yzer and Elyse Farnsworth, for their unwavering support and guidance.

Personal

When I’m not buried in research or teaching, you’ll probably find me traveling, hiking up a trail, strumming my guitar (badly but enthusiastically), watching sunset, or debating which bubble tea flavor truly reigns supreme :)

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