Linjuan Rita Men

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, with chatbots as a particularly ubiquitous form of it. Chatbots are automated virtual assistants that can be programmed to interact with humans in various settings, and even show empathy and respond to human need. In the past, chatbot functions were largely utilitarian. More…

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) today announced promotions for five faculty members. Eric Esterline, Media Production, Management, and Technology lecturer in sports media and communication and director of the Sports Journalism and Communication Program, has been promoted to senior lecturer. Esterline originally joined the College…

A new study by a team of University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) researchers found that communicating purpose could be an effective strategic communication tactic to help build employee organizational identification and trust during times of change. UFCJC doctoral students Yufan “Sunny” Qin, Alexis Bajalia Fitzsimmons and…

A new study has found that organizations can harness the unique conversation power of chatbots for enhancing perceived organizational listening and associated outcomes, according to researchers Linjuan Rita Men, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Public Relations associate professor, and colleagues Alvin Zhou and Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai. Their…

Rita Men, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Public Relations associate professor, is the recipient of the 2022 Hillier Krieghbaum Under-40 Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Men is the first UFCJC faculty member to win the Hillier Krieghbaum Award while…

University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications faculty and doctoral students will be presenting at the International Public Relations Research Conference in Orlando, Florida from March 3-5. Public Relations Associate Professor Rita Men and doctoral students Jie Jin, Renee Mitson, Yufan Sunny Qin, and Marc Vielledent will receive the…

Social media began as a way to connect with friends and family, but in recent years, it has also become a lucrative business tool. Social media can be a convenient, affordable and interactive way for companies and public relations practitioners to deliver organization-related messages in real time, communicate with their…

Building upon her background in corporate communication research, Public Relations Associate Professor Rita Men went into high gear during the pandemic to study effective communications from CEOs as well as chatbots used for social listening. In collaboration with Public Relations Department Chair Marcia DiStaso, Men developed a model to find…

By Lenore Devore, B.S. Journalism 1984 Building upon her background in corporate communication research, Public Relations Associate Professor Rita Men went into high gear during the pandemic to study effective communications from CEOs as well as chatbots used for social listening. In collaboration with Public Relations Department Chair Marcia DiStaso,…

This article by Public Relations Associate Professor Rita Men originally appeared in The Conversation on March 18, 2021.  Ending the pandemic depends on achieving herd immunity, estimated at 70% or even 80% to 90% of a population. With some 30% of Americans telling pollsters they have no interest in getting vaccinated, that’s cutting it a bit…

Rita Men, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Public Relations associate professor, is the author of “Three Ways Employers Could Help Fight Vaccine Skepticism” published in The Conversation on March 19. In the article, Men suggests that employers can play a key role in the fight against vaccine…

Rita Men, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Public Relations associate professor, is the co-author of “Communication Climate and Organizational Identification: The Keys to Change Management?” published in the Keller Center Research Report from the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business. Men, Marlene Neill and Cen “April” Yue,…