Draft:Dhavan V. Shah

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Dhavan V. Shah
NationalityAmerican
OccupationCommunication scholar
EmployerUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
Known forPolitical communication, health communication, computational social science
TitleJack M. McLeod Professor of Communication Research Louis A. & Mary E. Maier-Bascom Chair
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison (BA) University of Minnesota (MA, PhD)

Dhavan V. Shah is an American communication scholar known for his work in political communication, health communication, and the societal impacts of digital media.[1][2] He holds the Jack M. McLeod Professorship in Communication Research and the Louis A. & Mary E. Maier-Bascom Chair at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he directs the Mass Communication Research Center and serves as research director for the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal.[3][4]


His research examines how media framing and online networks influence civic engagement, polarization, and health behaviors, integrating traditional media effects studies with computational methods.[5] His work has been covered by outlets including The New York Times, Politico, PBS NewsHour, U.S. News & World Report, NPR, Wisconsin State Journal, and The Capital Times.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Early life and education

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Shah earned a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1989, focusing on mass communication research and advertising.[18] He pursued graduate studies at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, earning a Master of Arts in Mass Communication in 1995 with a thesis on news framing and voter decision-making, advised by Daniel B. Wackman.[18] He completed a PhD in Mass Communication with a minor in Political Psychology in 1999, with a dissertation on news framing's role in political issue processing, also advised by Wackman.[18] During his doctoral program, Shah received fellowships including the University of Minnesota Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship and the Ralph D. Casey Dissertation Research Award (1997–1998).[18]

Academic career

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Shah began his academic career as a teaching assistant and instructor at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities from 1992 to 1998.[18] In 1998, he joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, becoming an associate professor in 2002 and full professor in 2004.[18] He was appointed the Louis A. & Mary E. Maier-Bascom Chair in 2006, with renewals through 2026, and in 2023, he received the WARF Named Professorship, designated as the Jack M. McLeod Professor of Communication Research.[18]

Since 2010, Shah has directed the Mass Communication Research Center and, since 2020, has served as research director of the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal.[19][20] He holds affiliated faculty appointments in Industrial and Systems Engineering (since 2011), Marketing (since 2013), Political Science (since 2002), and the Institute for Diversity Science (since 2023).[18] He served as head of graduate studies in journalism and mass communication from 2007 to 2009.[18]

Shah has been a visiting professor or distinguished lecturer at over 15 institutions worldwide, including Pennsylvania State University,[21] Nanyang Technological University, University of Southern California, and University of Texas at Austin.[22][23]

Teaching

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Shah has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin–Madison since 1998, covering strategic communication (e.g., Principles of Strategic Communication, J345; Strategic Media Planning, J447), research methods (e.g., Communication Research Methods, J658), political communication (e.g., Political Communication, J829), and computational social science (e.g., Seminar in Computational Social Science, J880, since 2016).[18] He has supervised doctoral research in communication and related fields, mentoring numerous students who have pursued academic and industry careers.[3]

Research and publications

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Shah's research focuses on political and health communication, exploring how digital media influence social judgments, civic participation, and health outcomes. He leads projects on polarization, civic renewal, cancer care, aging, addiction, and vaccine hesitancy, using methods such as surveys, experiments, machine learning, computer vision, network analysis, and AI simulations.[3]

Key contributions

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  • Extended the communication mediation model to analyze media and interpersonal influences on civic trust and participation.[24]
  • Framing research addressing media's role in shaping views on national security and health risks.[25]
  • Investigations of mHealth apps for chronic disease and substance recovery.[26]
  • Studies on asymmetric communication ecologies highlighting partisan media's role in polarization.[4]
  • Computational work tracking social media dynamics, such as memes and bots during elections and crises.[27]

Impact

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Shah's scholarship has an h-index of 77 and over 23,240 citations, ranking him #164 among U.S. social scientists.[28] His work, particularly Battleground, has shaped discussions on how partisan media exacerbates political polarization, influencing political science and public policy.[17] News Frames and National Security has informed debates on media's role in public perceptions of surveillance and security policies.[25] He directs interdisciplinary teams like Social Media and Democracy (SMAD) and Health Information Technology Studies (HITS).[3]

Publications

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Shah has published over 200 articles and chapters.[1] Key books include:

  • Battleground: Asymmetric Communication Ecologies and the Erosion of Civil Society in Wisconsin (2022, co-authored with Lewis A. Friedland et al.; Cambridge University Press), examining media-driven polarization in Wisconsin.[4]
  • Political Socialization in a Media Saturated World (2016, co-edited with Esther L. Thorson and Mitchell S. McKinney; Peter Lang).[18]
  • Toward Computational Social Science: Big Data in Digital Environments (2015, co-edited with Joseph Cappella and W. Russell Neuman; SAGE), exploring big data's role in social science research.[18]
  • News Frames and National Security: Covering Big Brother (2015, co-authored with Douglas M. McLeod; Cambridge University Press), analyzing media framing of surveillance issues.[25]
  • Communication, Consumers, and Citizens: Revisiting the Politics of Consumption (2012, co-edited with Lewis Friedland et al.; SAGE).[18]
  • The Politics of Consumption/The Consumption of Politics (2007, co-edited with Lewis Friedland et al.; SAGE).[18]

Key journal articles include:

  • Shah, Dhavan V.; Cho, Jaeho; Eveland, William P.; Kwak, Nojin (2005). "Information and expression in a digital age: Modeling Internet effects on civic participation". Communication Research. 32 (5): 531–565. doi:10.1177/0093650205279209.
  • Shah, Dhavan V.; McLeod, Douglas M.; Friedland, Lewis; Nelson, Michelle R. (2007). "The politics of consumption/the consumption of politics". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 611 (1): 6–15. doi:10.1177/0002716207299647.
  • Hoffman, Lindsay H.; Glynn, Carroll J.; Huge, Michael E.; Sietman, Robert B.; Thomson, Tiffany (2007). "The role of communication in public opinion processes: Understanding the impacts of intrapersonal, media, and social filters". International Journal of Public Opinion Research. 19 (3): 287–312. doi:10.1093/ijpor/edm014.

His articles appear in journals such as Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Political Communication, New Media & Society, Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Health Communication.[1]

Funded research

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Shah has secured over $62 million in funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Knight Foundation, and others.[29][26][27] Key projects include the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal (Knight Foundation, $2.997 million, 2024–2029)[29] and NIH mobile health studies for chronic conditions and addiction (e.g., $3.858 million for smart display interventions, 2021–2026).[26][30][31]

Professional service and leadership

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Shah serves on editorial boards for over 10 journals, including Journal of Communication Technology (since 2014),[32] International Journal of Public Opinion Research (since 2010),[33] and Political Communication (2002–2012).[18] He was ICA Fellows' Chair in 2020[34] and chaired the Political Communication Division's joint publications committee (2002–2009).[18]

He advises initiatives such as the Center for Journalism and Liberty (since 2020) and the Millennium Institute for Foundational Research on Data (since 2021).[3] Shah has contributed to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2010–2011) and NSF panels.[18] Internationally, he advises the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (2009–present) and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (2010–2020).[18]

He organized conferences such as "Fracturing Democracy" (2020) and "The Politics of Consumption" (2006).[35]

Awards and honors

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Shah has received numerous awards, including:

  • Ranked among top U.S. social scientists by Research.com (2025).[28]
  • Top Scholar by ScholarGPS (top 0.5% worldwide, 2024).[36]
  • ICA B. Aubrey Fisher Mentorship Award (2022).[37][38]
  • AEJMC Krieghbaum Under-40 Award (2005).[40]
  • Nafziger-White Dissertation Award (2000).[40]
  • He has received multiple awards for his research contributions.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Dhavan V. Shah". Google Scholar. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  2. ^ "Dhavan SHAH". Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Dhavan Shah". University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. January 17, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Lewis A. Friedland; Dhavan V. Shah; Michael W. Wagner; Katherine Ognyanova; Chris Wells (2022). Battleground: Asymmetric Communication Ecologies and the Erosion of Civil Society in Wisconsin. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108946780. ISBN 978-1-108-94678-0.
  5. ^ "Dhavan V. Shah". Semantic Scholar. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  6. ^ Steve Lohr (October 18, 2000). "Survey Finds Support for School Filters". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  7. ^ David Nather (October 1, 2013). "Stakeholders spend big on ACA ads". Politico. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  8. ^ Amy Qin (April 10, 2020). "Why uncertainty about coronavirus breeds opportunity for misinformation". PBS NewsHour. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  9. ^ Paul McDonough (June 19, 2020). "Conflicting COVID Messages Create Cloud of Confusion Around Public Health and Prevention". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  10. ^ "Super Bowl as 'Collective Experience'". NPR. February 3, 2006. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  11. ^ "Balancing the Newscasts". NPR. October 6, 2008. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "Web Sites Encourage Public To Influence Agenda". NPR. January 22, 2009. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  13. ^ "Crime and Courts: In mud-slinging campaign, Prosser forces are outgunned, prof says". The Capital Times. March 31, 2011. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  14. ^ "UW team launches website, app with COVID-19 resources". The Capital Times. May 4, 2020. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  15. ^ Bill Lueders (August 3, 2011). "Bill Lueders: Campaign cash comes out as commercials". The Capital Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  16. ^ "WisEye Morning Minute: UW-Madison Dhavan Shah on Democracy". Wisconsin State Journal. April 7, 2022. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Paul Fanlund (November 3, 2022). "How media changes eroded political civility in Wisconsin". The Capital Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Curriculum Vitae - Dhavan V. Shah" (PDF). University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  19. ^ "Mass Communication Research Center". University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "Center for Communication and Civic Renewal". University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  21. ^ "Visiting expert to speak on rising aggression in politics and communication". Penn State University. September 25, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Awards – Political Communication Division". International Communication Association. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  23. ^ "William S. Morris III Distinguished Lecturer Series". Texas Tech University. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  24. ^ Shah, Dhavan V.; Cho, Jaeho; Eveland, William P.; Kwak, Nojin (2005). "Information and expression in a digital age: Modeling Internet effects on civic participation". Communication Research. 32 (5): 531–565. doi:10.1177/0093650205279209.
  25. ^ a b c Douglas M. McLeod and Dhavan V. Shah (2015). News Frames and National Security. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-13055-4.
  26. ^ a b c "Project Details". NIH RePORTER. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Understanding Dynamics of Polarization via Multiagent Social Simulation" (PDF). NSF PAR. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  28. ^ a b "Dhavan V. Shah". Research.com. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Knowledge Translation and Network Growth" (PDF). Knight Foundation. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  30. ^ "Effectiveness of Digital Versus In-Person Diabetes Prevention Programs". NIH RePORTER. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  31. ^ "Comparing Conversational Framing Strategies on Twitter" (PDF). NSF PAR. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  32. ^ "Editorial Board". Journal of Communication Technology. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  33. ^ "Editorial Board". International Journal of Public Opinion Research. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  34. ^ "ICA Fellows". International Communication Association. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  35. ^ Dhavan V. Shah; Douglas M. McLeod; Lewis A. Friedland; Mary E. McGrath; David Domke (2007). "The Politics of Consumption/The Consumption of Politics". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 611 (1): 6–15. doi:10.1177/0002716207299647.
  36. ^ "Dhavan V. Shah". ScholarGPS. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  37. ^ "B. Aubrey Fisher Mentorship Award". International Communication Association. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  38. ^ "Congratulations 2022 ICA Award Winners!". International Communication Association. May 28, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  39. ^ "Fellows". International Communication Association. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  40. ^ a b "AEJMC Award Recipients". Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
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