Sylo is an M.A/Ph.D. student in UC Santa Barbara’s Communication department. She received her B.S in Cognitive Science from UC Santa Cruz in 2024 where she also minored in Statistics. Her research explores the impacts of affordances on social media platforms, such as infinite scroll, closed groups, and algorithmic recommendation and censorship systems. She seeks to understand how they affect the dissemination of health information, with a particular focus on the spread of health information and misinformation. Sylo is also interested in how these same affordances impact users' trust in technology-curated sources of information, such as chatbots, voice assistants, and algorithmically generated search results.

Soumyajit De holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Delhi and an M.A. in Sociology from Pondicherry University. His research explores how algorithms function within socio-technical systems, specifically focusing on their role in organizational processes such as recruitment, performance evaluation, and resource allocation. He investigates the interactions between human actors, organizational structures, and algorithmic technologies, emphasizing that algorithms are not merely passive tools but active agents shaping and being shaped by organizational norms, human agency, and social dynamics. He also examines how managers and employees interact with algorithms, exploring their reactions and collaborative practices to see how varying degrees of human-algorithm interaction influence perceptions of transparency and accountability.

Karla is an M.A/Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication. Karla received her B.A in Sociology and a minor in Applied Psychology from the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2023. While in undergrad she worked for numerous research projects such as the “Separación Familiar”, conducting a thematic analysis in “The Meaning of Allyship for DACA students”, and increasing access to prenatal care for indigenous women in the Santa Maria, Ca area. Her current research focuses on the communication within mixed-status families in relation to their mental health. She wants to study how mixed-status families navigate and make sense of their identities in the context of immigration.

Andrew received his B.Sc. in Communication Arts and Science and Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021. He then graduated with his M.A. in Communication from Michigan State University in 2024. His work is concerned with the impact of new media technologies—including social networking sites, video games, and AI—on interpersonal communication processes and psychological well-being. More specifically, his research focuses on how new communication technologies reshape interpersonal communication processes, such as conflict episodes, social support, relational maintenance, and termination. He is also interested in how various types of online communication behaviors—such as self-presentation, commenting, liking, and types of interaction afforded by new media technologies—impact one's psychological well-being.

Ying Qi Pan is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on political communication, with a particular interest in gender inequalities in online political engagement. Her work explores (1) how individual and contextual factors influence digital political participation, using cross-national datasets, and (2) how the development of artificial intelligence shapes human-technology relations. Her methodological training is primarily quantitative.

Yuxin Jin is a M.A/Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Yuxin received a BA in Communication from UCSB and has since gained experience as a research assistant for the Santa Barbara Women’s Fund and as an intern at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Yuxin’s research explores gender inequality and women’s empowerment, particularly through microfinance and employment, examining how financial inclusion contributes to women’s advancement. Yuxin is also interested in globalization, conducting cross-cultural comparisons between East Asia and the U.S. to investigate how cultural nuances shape responses to global trends. Additionally, Yuxin's work examines the social impact of legislation, with a particular focus on how laws influence societal norms, gender dynamics, and empowerment initiatives, as well as the effects of emerging communication technologies like AI on legal regulation.

Jessica is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her primary interests include (1) uncovering the underlying mechanisms of health and social decision-making, (2) examining how social influences interact with communication processes to shape behaviors, and (3) exploring diverse factors at various levels to promote health and well-being. Her work employs a diverse research toolkit, including both quantitative and qualitative methods. She is particularly interested in leveraging intensive longitudinal, neuroscientific, and computational methodologies to better understand complex behavioral mechanisms and temporal changes.

Stephanie Herrera is a graduate researcher in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She earned her B.A. in Communication Technology at The Ohio State University, where she developed an interest in media effects. Her research aims to examine the influence of stereotypical media depictions on the self-concept of individuals with marginalized identities.

Monét Tchamdjoci is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests lie in health and interpersonal communication, specifically focusing on Black women's approaches to disclosure and support-seeking strategies around their mental health challenges.