People


Web Use Lab 2010
Back row: Kristin Thomas, Cassi Saari, Eszter Hargittai, Heather Young, Yu-li Patrick Hsieh, George Bajalia Front row: Su Jung Kim, Stefanie Goliszewski, Julie Kliegman, Jenna Lebersfeld, Eden Litt and visiting scholar Kelly Page

Current Affiliates:

Faculty | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students

Former Affiliates:

Staff | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students | Others

Faculty

Eszter Hargittai Eszter Hargittai
Associate Professor
Departments of Communication Studies and Sociology
Faculty Associate, Institute for Policy Research
Northwestern University

Graduate Students


Kristin Thomas Kristin Thomas
(2007 – Present) Kristin is a Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology, and Society Program in the School of Communication at Northwestern University. Her research interests are focused on issues of credibility, identity, and culture in mediated contexts.

Yu-Li Patrick Hsieh Yu-li Patrick Hsieh
(2008 – Present) Yu-li (Patrick) is a Ph. D. student in the Media, Technology and Society program at Northwestern University. His research interests include the influences of information technology on social engagement, as well as its effects on social, psychological, and economic well-being.

Erin Flynn Klawitter Erin Flynn Klawitter
(2011 – Present) Erin is a Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology, and Society program at Northwestern University. Her research interests include digital inequality and the performance of identity online.

Eden Litt Eden Litt
(2010 – Present) Eden is a Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology, and Society program at Northwestern University studying the intersection of online skill, social media, and social inequality. She is the current Lab Manager for the Web Use Project.

Undergraduate Research Assistants


Jenna Lebersfeld Jenna Lebersfeld
(2009 – Present) Jenna is a senior in the School of Communication and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. She is double majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology and is interested in pursuing a career conducting research related to autism. In her spare time, she plays the trumpet and has participated in a variety of bands on campus, including the Northwestern University Marching Band, Concert Band, and Jazz Orchestra.

Madison Berry Madison Berry
(2011 – Present) Madison is a sophomore in the School of Communications currently studying Radio/TV/Film, and she is interested in pursuing a career in television production. When not on film sets, studying, or in the lab, she enjoys horseback riding and digging up new TV shows from across the world. She received the Fellow Assistant Researcher Award (FARA) through the Communications Residential College for the 2011-2012 school year.

Jennifer Suh Jennifer Suh
(2011 – Present) Jennifer is a sophomore majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Business Institutions. On campus, she works as a staff writer for the Daily Northwestern. In her spare time, she enjoys watching films and going to concerts in Chicago.

Veronica Nieves Veronica Nieves
(2011 – Present) Veronica is a junior majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Sociology. She is a member of Alpha Chi Omega on campus and currently holds a position on the Exec Board as VP Education. When not busying herself with classes and Greek Life, you can find her keeping up with friends and family on Facebook or catching up on her favorite television shows.

Kristin Kim Kristin Kim
(2011 – Present) Kristin is a sophomore majoring in Communication Studies and double minoring in the Business Institutions Program and Sociology. Her research interests include online social networks, influences of information technology on interpersonal interactions, and macro-level phenomena of digital media consumption by audiences. In her spare time, Kristin is probably playing the guitar, shopping in the city, or dancing along the beach.

Former Affiliates

Staff

Daniel Hantman Daniel Hantman
Research Associate, 2007 - 2008 Currently the Center Administrator, The Chicago Center for Jewish Studies

Éva Bognár Éva Bognár
Research Associate, 2007
Currently, Researcher at Central European University

No photo available Waleeta Canon
Project Coordinator, 2006 - 2007
Currently, Media Researcher at Leonie Industries

No photo available Laurell Sims
Project Coordinator, 2006 Currently, Youth Coordinator at Growing Power, Inc. in Chicago

Graduate Students


Heather Young Heather Young
(2009 – 2011) Heather started at the Web Use Project as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in 2007 and was subsequently promoted to Lab Manager. After graduating with a B.S. in Radio/Television/Film in 2008, Heather became a graduate student in the Media, Technology, and Society program in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University.

Cassidy Puckett Cassidy Puckett
(2009 – 2010) Cassidy Puckett is a Ph. D. student in Sociology at Northwestern University. Her research interests include methodological issues related to the study of digital inequality (i.e., construct and measurement validity), individual and social determinants of technological competency, and the effects of technological competency on social inequality.

Gina Walejko Gina Walejko
(2005 – 2010) Gina was the lead graduate research assistant on the MacArthur-funded Adolescents’ Internet Uses project. She used mixed methods to research how diverse populations of individuals use new media, including how college students use the Web.

Ericka Menchen-Trevino Ericka Menchen Trevino
2008 – 2009
Lab Manager, 2008 – 2009
Ph.D. Student in the School of Communication at Northwestern University in the Media Technology and Society program. Her research interests include information seeking on the web, and the online news environment.

No Photo Available Chris Karr
2006 – 2009

Jason Gallo Jason Gallo
2004 - 2008
Project Coordinator, 2007 - 2008
Earned a PhD from the Media, Technology, and Society Program at Northwestern University in the summer of 2008. He currently works at the Science and Technology Policy Institute in Washington, DC.

Nicole Joseph Nicole Joseph
2008
Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology and Society program at Northwestern Univesrity

No photo available Lindsay Fullerton
2007 - 2008
Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology and Society program at Northwestern University

No photo available Soo Jeong An
2006 - 2007 Ph.D. student in the Media, Technology and Society program

Dan Li Dan Li
2005 - 2007
Ph.D student in the Media, Technology, and Society Program at Northwestern University

Amanda Hinnant
Amanda Hinnant
2003 - 2006
Received her Ph.D. in Media, Technology and Society from Northwestern University in 2006 and since has been Assistant Professor at the Missouri School of Journalism.

No photo available Sean Zehnder
2004 – 2005

No photo available Alyse Hubbard Muldoon
2001 while a graduate student at Princeton University

No photo available Nicole Esparza
2001 while a graduate student at Princeton University
Received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Princeton University in 2007 and then spent two years as a Robert Wood Johnson Scholar at Harvard University. She is currently Assistant Professor at the School of Policy, Planning, and Development at the University of Southern California.

Undergraduate Students


Matt Baron Matt Baron
(2011) Matt is a sophomore double majoring in Communication Studies and International Studies and minoring in Business Institutions. His research interests include social networks within virtual and offline worlds, human-computer interactions, and political communications. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, seeing live music, and wandering around big cities.

George Bajalia A. George Bajalia
(2010 – 2011) George is a recent graduate from the School of Communication, majoring in Communication Studies and Mediterranean Culture and History. When not studying Mediterranean communicants, he can be found in the theatre, as an actor and director.

Stefanie Goliszewski Stefanie Goliszewski
(2010 – 2011) Stefanie is a recent graduate from the School of Communication, majoring in Communication Studies, minoring in Business Institutions, and pursuing a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications.

Julie Kliegman Julie Kliegman
(2010 – 2011) Julie is a junior double majoring in Journalism and Spanish. She received the Fellow Assistant Researcher Award for the 2010-2011 school year through the Communications Residential College.

Cassi Saari Cassi Saari
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008 – 2010
Lab Manager, 2009 – 2010
Cassi is a recent graduate in Environmental Sciences with a particular interest in conservation biology and natural resource management. She received the Fellow Assistant Researcher Award through the Communications Residential College for the 2008-2009 school year.

Olivia Curry Olivia Curry
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009 – 2010
Olivia is a senior majoring in Radio/TV/Film. She received the Fellow Assistant Researcher Award for the 2009-2010 school year through the Communications Residential College.

Katy Witmer Katy Witmer
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 & 2010
Katy is a recent graduate who majored in Radio/Television/Film.

Andrew Glor Andrew Glor
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009 – 2010
Andrew Glor is a recent graduate from the School of Communication, majoring in Radio/TV/Film and Political Science.

Kat Wong Kat Wong
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009 – 2010
Graduated in 2011 with a degree in Communication Studies and minoring in Psychology.

Ashley Hudson Ashley Hudson
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 – 2010
Graduate in 2011 double majoring in Journalism and Psychology. She received the Fellow Assistant Researcher Award (FARA) through the Communications Residential College for the 2007-2008 school year.

Yoon Hyung Choi Yoon Hyung Choi
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009 – 2010
Graduated in 2010 from the School of Communication with a major in Communication Studies with a Business Institutions Program minor.

Simon Han Simon Han
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009
Majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Creative Writing (‘11)

Emily Hoffman Emily Hoffman
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009
Graduated in 2010 from the School of Communication with a major in in Communication Studies and minor in English Literature.

Stephen Segura Stephen Segura
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2009
Majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Computer Science at Princeton (‘11)

Jessica Diamond Jessica Diamond
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 – 2009
Graduated from Northwestern School of Communication in 2009 with a double major in Communication Studies and English

Jason Bornstein Jason Bornstein
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008 - 2009
Graduated from Northwestern in 2009 with a major in communication studies and a minor in business institutions. His thesis was on the "Impact of Google on Information-Seeking Procceses."

No photo available Meggie Gallina
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008 - 2009
Northwestern communication studies junior

No photo available Glen Hajost
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Graduated from Northwestern in 2010 with a double major in Social Policy and Economics.

Amanda Yentz Amanda Yentz
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Assistant Media Planner at Draftfcb

No photo available Katherine Murphy
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Graduated from Northwestern in 2009 with a major in Communication Studies and a minor in Business Institutions.

Heather Young Heather Young
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007
Lab Manager, 2008
Ph.D. Student, Media, Technology and Society Program, Northwestern University, 2009 - Present
Formerly: Research Assistant at Mark Paul Consulting, 2008-09

No photo available Ashley Ayarza
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 - 2008
Graduated from Northwestern in 2009 with a double major in Radio/Television/Film and Art History.

Sydney Weiss Sydney Weiss
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 - 2008
Targeted Entertainment Marketing and Promotions at 42West

No photo available Alex Knell
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007 - 2008
Interdisciplinary Studies in Film and Theater and English Creative Writing at Northwestern.

No photo available Kati Skelton
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Graduated from Northwestern where she studied comparative literary studies and Spanish.

No photo available Adam Price
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Graduated from Northwestern in 2008, majoring in Radio/Television/Film.

No photo available David Gonzales
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008

No photo available Jon Mindrum
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2008
Management Consulting intern at Accenture

Kathrina Manalac Kathrina Manalac
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2004 - 2007
Fellow Assistant Research Award, 2004 - 2005
Associate Promotion Manager at Conde Nast Publications

Vanessa Pineda Vanessa Pineda
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2005 - 2008
Fellow Assistant Researcher Award (FARA), 2005 - 2006
Communications Associate at Towers Perrin

No photo available Becky Freking
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2006 - 2007
Fellow Assistant Researcher Award, 2006 - 2007
Director of Speaking Services at Floyd Consulting

No photo available Viktor Domazet
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007
Options trader with the Toji Trading Group in Chicago

No photo available David Spett
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2007
Center for American Progress in Washington, DC

No photo available Priscilla Vasquez
Summer IPR Research Assistant, 2006
Research Assistant at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute

No photo available Ellen Duncan
Undergraduate Research Assistant at Princeton, 2006
Columbia graduate student

No photo available Matthew Kane
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2005
Student at Columbia Law School

No photo available Jason Methner
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2004
Candidate for Masters Degree in Integrated Marketing Communication at Northwestern

No photo available Max Reback
Undergraduate Research Assistant at Princeton (‘04)
Student at University of Pennsylvania

No photo available Olivia Starr
Undergraduate Research Assistant, 2003 - 2004
Graduate student at LBJ School of Public Affairs

No photo available Inna Barmash
Undergraduate Research Assistant at Princeton (‘01)
Corporate Department Associate at Ropes & Gray

Others

No photo available Tabbbey Walquist
IMSA Student Inquiry and Research Affiliate, 2007 - 2008