In May 2023, research conducted by COM undergraduate student Emma Longo was awarded the inaugural Nelson Undergraduate Research Award from the University Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The Boston University Nelson Undergraduate Research Award was established in 2023 by a BU alumni donation from Mark (COM’88) and Ruth Gallagher Nelson to support students conducting research in communications.
Her research, which will be continuing this summer, is supervised by Dr. Michelle Amazeen.
Abstract: Using a rhetorical analysis, this study examines how fossil fuel companies portray climate issues in two native advertisements from the New York Times and the Washington Post. Native advertisements, which appear like posts that belong to platforms, are one of the ways fossil fuel companies attempt to share information on climate science. By investigating the covert advertising strategies used by fossil fuel corporations, researchers can better understand origins of climate misinformation and climate denial.
Longo’s research has also been accepted for presentation at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)’s annual conference in August. Congratulations, Emma!