Research & Presentations

I presented original research at the University of Alabama’s Creative Activities and Research (CAR) Show, where over 200 students and faculty attended to engage with a range of academic and creative projects. Our study, “The Science of Going Viral: Emotion, Bias, and Sharing,” analyzed how emotional triggers and cognitive biases influence social media engagement and sharing behavior. During the presentation, I communicated our findings on the performance differences between viral and non-viral content and explained how these insights can be strategically applied to real-world digital platforms. I also discussed how we would implement these findings into our own content strategy, emphasizing the role of intentional messaging, audience psychology, and data-driven decision-making in driving meaningful engagement. This experience strengthened my ability to translate research into practical applications and present complex ideas to a broad audience.

I was selected as a featured presenter at Trending Tide, a university-wide forum that brings together social media communicators across the University of Alabama to align messaging, share resources, and strengthen storytelling across UA-driven platforms. Alongside Kennedy Lee Allen and Jake Reichert, I presented on the strategy and execution behind the C&IS Social Media Ambassadors program and the @uaccisstudents Instagram account. Our session highlighted how a student-led, strategy-driven model allows us to effectively integrate pop culture and real-time trends while maintaining alignment with university branding and messaging standards. Through the analysis of a high-performing campaign, I demonstrated how collaboration, intentional strategy, and audience insight translate into meaningful engagement and community-building across institutional platforms.