Ioana Literat

Ioana Literat is an Associate Professor in the Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design program at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Co-Director of the Media & Social Change Lab (MASCLab). She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Southern California and a B.A. from Middlebury College.

Her research focuses on youth digital practices, online creativity, and political expression, particularly how social media shapes civic engagement. She explores topics such as memes as relational resources during crises, the intersection of creativity and activism, and platform design ethics.

Selected publications include analyses of youth political expression on TikTok, Chinese online fandom dynamics, and feminist advocacy on platforms like Xiaohongshu. Her work bridges communication studies, education, and sociology, emphasizing participatory design and media literacy education.

Ioana advises students on topics ranging from digital activism to platform governance and collaborates on projects like game-based news literacy tools. She is affiliated with the Mathematics, Science & Technology division at Teachers College.