Mengyan Ma Ph.D.
Bio
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Dr. Mengyan Ma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, with a 4:3 teaching load. Before rejoining Michigan State University (MSU), she served as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC). Since 2015, Mengyan has taught undergraduate courses across various formats, including in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous modalities. Her previous courses include Social Media and Communication, Advertising Message Strategy, Research Methods, Writing for Integrated Strategic Communication, Media Law and Ethics, Media Planning, Digital Analytics, and Account Planning and Research.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Her research explores the intersection of health communication, influencer marketing, family communication, and emerging media. Across these contexts, she investigates how individual beliefs (attitudes, social norms, and self-efficacy) as well as perceived social support, source perceptions, and motivations for media use shape health behaviors and well-being. She also examines how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), influence health attitudes, behaviors, and well-being, and how these technologies can be leveraged to enhance health communication and promote positive health outcomes. Using mixed-methods approaches, her work examines these processes at both the individual and community levels, with particular attention to youth, families, college students, and other vulnerable populations navigating rapidly evolving media and technology environments.
Her work has been published in International Journal of Communication, Social Media + Society, Health Communication, Journal of Advertising Education, Journal of Family Communication, and Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Notably, her co-authored paper, “A Tale of Four Platforms: Motivations and Uses of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat among College Students,” has garnered over 1,900 citations. She received a Trifecta Grant (2025–2026) to support research on influencer marketing of THC-infused beverages, with the goal of informing media literacy campaigns, family education, public health initiatives, and regulatory discussions.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Mengyan currently serves as the International Coordinator for the publishing team at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). She has worked as the Marketing Manager for A Plus International Culture Communication Inc., where she was responsible for managing partnerships with local organizations and developing international cultural exchange programs and teacher training initiatives. Her industry experience includes roles as a writing counselor, marketing analyst, and advertising designer across various organizations. Prior to her career in the U.S., she interned as a journalist and program designer at Beijing Media Network for several years.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Mengyan earned her Ph.D. in Media and Information Studies, along with a Graduate Certificate in Community Engagement, from MSU in 2021. She also holds a master’s degree in Advertising with an Advertising Ethics Certification, which she completed at MSU in 2015. She received her bachelor's degree in Finance from Wuhan University, China, in 2013.
A dedicated researcher and educator, Mengyan is passionate about bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical application. Visit www.mengyanma.com to learn more about her work.
Roles
- International Coordinator of the Publishing Team at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
- Teaching Standing Committee at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
- Editorial Board of Global Perspectives in Communication
- Thesis and Dissertation Award Committee, National Communication Association (NCA), Human Communication and Technology Division
- Communication Committee, American Academy of Advertising (AAA)
- Graduate Student Scholarship Subcommittee, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Advertising Division
- MSU Excellence-in-Teaching Citation Committee
- MSU ADPR Department Research Resources Committee
- MSU ADPR Department Scholarships Committee
- MSU ADPR Graduate Studies Committee
- Program Co-Director of Education Abroad Program "International Advertising and Public Relations in China"
Research and Teaching
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Health Communication
- Family Communication
- Social Media and Influencer Marketing
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cannabis Products
- Eating Behaviors
- Psychological Well-being
- Community-engaged Research
TEACHING COURSES
- ADV205 Principles of Advertising
- ADV225 Basic Skills for Advertising Careers
- ADV330 Advertising Management Strategy
- ADV342 Account Planning and Research
- ADV375 Consumer Behavior
- PR325 Intermediate Social Media and Public Relations Techniques
