Charter


Communication Research Center Charter

I. Statement of Purpose

The mission of the Communication Research Center (CRC) is to foster collaborations and learning opportunities for students and faculty around the latest tools and findings in communication research, especially in addressing societal challenges.

The CRC strives to position its faculty fellows as thought leaders in the varying fields of communication research, advancing theory and methods in addressing society’s challenges. Addressing both theoretical and applied problems through a range of quantitative and qualitative perspectives, faculty and students engage in the most cutting-edge developments in communication research that provide an extraordinarily fertile ground for innovation and science. With state-of-the art facilities and technologies, the CRC fosters opportunities for collaboration as well as strengthens and amplifies the expertise and abilities of its research fellows. Whether theoretical or applied communication issues, the CRC also aims to facilitate the education of undergraduate students, graduate students, as well as faculty on cutting-edge developments in communication research.

Research Areas

Established in 1959, the CRC pioneered the use of television as a research tool, conducting systematic analyses on the effects of television on children and measuring political opinions and voting intentions. This early beginning led the CRC to develop a specialty in survey research methodology. Today, the CRC is COM’s media and communication research hub. With more than 30 faculty fellows, the work of CRC researchers is diverse in nature. Methodological approaches span from the social scientific to critical/cultural studies and the humanities. Topically, CRC researchers study the following areas:

  • Advertising
  • Emerging Media
  • Film
  • Health Communication
  • Human-Computer Interaction/AI
  • Information Integrity
  • International Communication
  • Journalism
  • Media Psychology
  • Political Communication
  • Public Relations
  • Television

II. Strategic Plans

Centers at the College of Communication are intended to foster cross-College, cross-BU, and external collaborations that advance existing communication research in the community to a higher level and help build the eminence of our faculty and programs. To enhance the scope and impact of research at COM in benefitting society, the CRC offers a variety of resources, programs, and activities.

A. Resources

The CRC has over 2,500 ft2 of physical infrastructure providing designated spaces for a variety of purposes such as interviews, experiments, focus groups, unobtrusive observations, meetings, and presentations. Onsite technologies include a virtual reality system which aids faculty and students in investigating issues related to psychological presence, empathy, and immersive storytelling. The CRC also offers a suite of research tools from the iMotions biometric research platform which allows faculty and students to examine physiological responses (e.g., heart rate, sweat, facial expression, pupil dilation) to media (e.g., websites, ads, television programs, and video games).

Given the University’s commitment to involving students in research, in 2017 the CRC simplified the process of finding and managing research participants for its fellows via the SONA research participant management system. SONA provides both graduate and undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in various research activities across COM while earning course credit. Researchers benefit from streamlined participant recruitment, efficient study scheduling, effective participant screening, easy credit/compensation management, centralized study promotion, and the ability to run both lab-based and online studies, all while ensuring participant privacy and compliance with human subjects regulations.

B. Programming

The Communication Research Colloquium Series was established in October 2009. This series consists of monthly research presentations that highlight current and original research of COM faculty. This forum provides an intellectual exchange of ideas and perspectives, features scholarship in several methodological traditions, and fosters discussions among faculty and students about a variety of research topics in the field of communication.

Since 2011, as part of the Dr. Melvin L. DeFleur Distinguished Lecture Series, the CRC annually invites two distinguished scholars from outside the university to share their outstanding scholarship, expertise, and experience with the BU community. In recognition of the pioneering and inspirational contributions of Dr. Melvin L. DeFleur to the field of mass communication research and his service as a venerable and inexhaustible member of the CRC, the faculty members of the COM named this series in his honor.

Ad hoc activities are programmed as appropriate. For instance, in the fall 2024 semester, the inaugural CRC Open House was scheduled to welcome fellows back to campus and orient new faculty within and beyond the college to available resources. Moreover, in collaboration with COM’s marketing communications team or career services staff, panels are hosted for the general public on relevant research topics or among COM research alumni for students interested in particular fields of study.

C. Collaboration

To foster connections within the research community, faculty fellows have the opportunity to gather monthly as part of the CRC’s Work-In-Progress (WIP) meetings. This forum enables discussion of and feedback on the progress of faculty research initiatives to facilitate publication efforts. Fellows informally discuss their in-progress research with the intent of idea exchanges surrounding any aspect of research efforts (theoretical premises, study design, methods, fieldwork resources, analysis issues, literature searches, etc.).

Since 2024, Faculty Research Seed Grants have been offered annually on a competitive basis to promote inter-departmental, cross-disciplinary collaborations on communication-related issues that help society engage with modern challenges. Special consideration is given to proposals that a) facilitate/bridge practitioner-scholar projects (e.g. projects that include both practitioners and scholars) and b) lay the foundation for larger, ongoing initiatives which can attract external support. Tenure-track junior scholars are especially encouraged to apply. Grants of up to $20,000 are awarded.

In the spring of 2025, the CRC will launch its inaugural call for proposals for the Hugo Shong Misinformation Faculty Research Grants. The grant program is open to all full-time faculty within COM who are studying some aspect of misinformation. Proposals can be submitted by individuals or faculty teams. Special consideration given to proposals that a) advance interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks and/or mixed methods for field development, b) examine linkages between the individual and societal levels of analysis, or c) support public policies aimed at improving information quality and protecting democratic institutions. Proposals that lay the foundation for larger, ongoing initiatives which can attract external support will be given preference. Tenure-track junior scholars are especially encouraged to apply. Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded.

D. Learning Opportunities

The CRC provides facility tours and research training opportunities each semester, open to the entire COM community. Faculty members can reserve CRC spaces for class activities, such as conducting focus groups or other research-related projects. Offering faculty the option to bring students on CRC tours is an excellent way to highlight the importance of research and increase awareness of the CRC’s resources among students.

The CRC’s Lab and Research Manager has been certified by iMotions on human behavior research with a focus on biosensor modules and offers biometric workshops to COM faculty and students. Onsite workshops led by iMotions Product Specialists are also periodically offered for in-depth training of faculty fellows. A recent workshop offered an introduction to the iMotions software, theoretical insights into neuroscience and voice analysis, and practical, hands-on experience with the hardware and software required for conducting in-depth analyses with these tools. As a means of generating revenue, workshops led by the CRC’s Research Manager are also being offered to researchers outside of COM for a fee.

E. Outreach and Communications

The CRC has two formal outreach programs designed to enhance public access to the work of faculty fellows: the Media & Technology Public Opinion Poll and “The COMversation” podcast.

Since its inception in January 2022, the CRC Media & Technology Public Opinion Poll has promoted the thought leadership of its faculty fellows on information integrity topics ranging from media trust, artificial intelligence, climate change, social media censorship, dating apps, media literacy, presidential candidate imagery, social media warning labels, and gendered media effects.

The poll is an ongoing project of the CRC with Ipsos, the market research company. It is intended to advance COM and its faculty as thought leaders, principally through earned media placements (i.e. quotes by COM faculty, citations of the survey results).

Polls are conducted using Ipsos eNation Omnibus, a nationally representative online survey that measures attitudes and opinions of 1,000 adults across the United States. This online survey has a credibility interval (CI) of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The data are weighted to the U.S. population by region, gender, age, and education.

Drawing upon their research areas of expertise, participating faculty fellows work with COM’s marketing communications team to generate a suitable question (typically one 5-item Likert-type question), interpret the results, and collaborate on a press release which can result in popular press media coverage. Recent polls have generated coverage in the Boston Globe, eWeek, and NPR. The raw data from the poll (including participant demographic information) is available to all CRC fellows for additional analysis and can be used in academic research efforts. Access the raw data here.

To make communication research even more accessible to the public, the CRC launched The COMversation, a podcast that connects academic insights with current events. Hosted by Dr. Charlotte Howell, the debut episode launched in November 2024, diving into the evolving norms of communication and the role of misinformation in politics, providing listeners with an engaging, in-depth discussion on these timely issues. The second episode, Wicked Success, was released in December 2024, exploring the rise in on-screen adaptations, big-budget marketing tours, and what led to the wicked success of Wicked Part 1. New episodes are anticipated on a monthly basis.

Other Communications Activities Include:

  • A strong, sustained online presence, through a robust website and social media channels on BlueSky, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube
  • Raising awareness of fellows’ work by posting stories on newsworthy research efforts of faculty and students to the CRC website and pitching stories to COM’s marketing communications team.
  • A weekly email news update to CRC fellows of upcoming events and opportunities.
  • An online bi-annual newsletter sent to COM, the BU network, and the community, sharing news, announcements, updates, and other relevant information.

III. Organizational Structure

Staff

  • Faculty Director: Oversight of CRC strategy, programming, budget, fundraising, and personnel.
  • Lab and Research Manager: Oversight of center operations; coordinates and nurtures community partnerships and training, creates MOUs, coordinates and promotes events, manages online content (website and social media), produces a twice-yearly newsletter, and administers the research participant pool through the SONA system.
  • Student employees: Students are hired at 10/hrs a week to help with communication, research, event planning, etc.

Faculty Participation

All COM research faculty are provided the option to affiliate with the CRC. Affiliated fellows receive:

    A. Access to CRC research facilities, technology, and support services (e.g., SONA research participant pool);
    B. Opportunities to participate in CRC activities such as grant programs, workshops, colloquia, and public events;
    C. Access to research promotion opportunities; and
    D. Opportunities for leadership including serving on the Advisory Committee and subcommittees.

To maintain affiliation, faculty researchers are required to:

    A. Register their courses with the SONA research participant pool which is managed by the Lab/Research Manager;
    B. Provide bi-annual updates on their activities, contributions, or publications for inclusion in the CRC newsletter.

Faculty researchers who depart the university in good standing may continue their affiliation with the CRC as an external affiliate if sponsored by an affiliated faculty member and following these terms and conditions:

    A. Research Collaboration: The Researcher is expected to actively contribute to ongoing or new research projects that align with the CRC’s goals. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, co-authoring publications, providing expertise in the Researcher’s field, or supporting collaborative initiatives.
    B. and Representation: The Researcher may list their affiliation with the CRC in publications, presentations, and professional profiles, provided they adhere to CRC’s branding and name usage guidelines. The Researcher shall acknowledge their affiliation with the CRC in all relevant scholarly work.
    C. Engagement and Participation: The Researcher may participate in CRC meetings, workshops, and conferences, either remotely or in person, as appropriate and as invited. The Researcher is encouraged to mentor current students or early-career researchers affiliated with the CRC, fostering academic and professional growth.
    D. Accountability and Reporting: The Researcher is required to provide bi-annual updates on their activities, contributions, or publications related to the CRC. These updates will be included in the CRC newsletter. The Researcher must comply with ethical and regulatory standards associated with research at Boston University.
    E. Duration of Affiliation: The terms of the affiliation are at the discretion of the CRC Director and are subject to annual review. Continued affiliation is contingent upon the Researcher’s active contribution to the CRC’s mission.
    F. Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality: The Researcher must avoid conflicts of interest that may arise from their external professional activities or affiliations. The Researcher shall adhere to confidentiality agreements and intellectual property terms, particularly with regard to sensitive or proprietary research conducted under the auspices of the CRC.
    G. Relationship with Former Colleagues: The Researcher is expected to maintain professional relationships with faculty, staff, and students at the CRC to ensure productive and collaborative engagements.

IV. Governance

The CRC Director is appointed and serves at the will of the Dean, and receives an annual stipend and/or course releases for their work as determined by the Dean. The Director guides strategic thinking, fosters collaborations across teaching, research, and practice; increases the visibility of the CRC’s efforts in the domain of engagement both internally and externally; facilitates the development of new applications for external funding; supervises CRC staff, oversees the budget; and provides an annual report on the progress of the CRC.

The CRC advisory committee meets at least annually and is composed of the director, affiliated faculty, and external faculty with related research expertise. Decisions about research priorities, events, and new initiatives are made among the advisory committee.

V. Space

The CRC has over 2,500 ft2 of dedicated space on the lower level (basement) of Alden Hall, 704 Commonwealth Avenue. This space offers a reception area, multipurpose meeting/research rooms, and an office for the Lab and Research Manager. Faculty who are affiliated with the CRC, including the director, continue to utilize their COM assigned office space.

The CRC facility offers a “graduate research hub” dedicated to graduate student research. It includes 5 single-monitor PC computer stations for graduate students to use at any time. The space also includes a high capacity black/white printer (connected to all computer stations in the CRC), a large mounted white board, and 5 dedicated doctoral student work stations each with a single-monitor PC computer.

VI. Budget Information

The CRC is a college-wide unit that receives an annual operating budget through COM and is funded through contributions from available COM funds, donor gifts, grants, and partnership agreements. The annual operating expenses of the CRC are approximately $250,000.