Diana Zulli

Diana Zulli is an Associate Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University, where she conducts research at the intersection of political communication, digital technology, and crisis communication. Her work examines how digital platforms reshape political discourse, elite communication strategies, and media representations of political events.

Dr. Zulli's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Communication, University of Utah (2018)
• M.A. in Communication Studies, Texas State University (2013)
• B.B.S. in Speech Communication, Hardin-Simmons University (2011)

Her research program investigates three core areas: how digital affordances transform social and political processes; strategic communication by political elites across online/offline environments; and media framing of political crises and elites. Methodologically, she employs critical platform analysis, semiotic analysis, and quantitative/qualitative content analysis to study platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Mastodon.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2020-2024) reveals consistent focus on platform-specific political communication dynamics, with recurring themes of crisis framing, digital activism, and scandal discourse. Her work demonstrates increasing methodological sophistication in analyzing emerging platforms while maintaining theoretical rigor in communication theory.

Dr. Zulli's research excellence has been recognized through:

• Top Paper Award at National Communication Association (NCA) conference
• Top Paper Award at Western States Communication Association (WSCA) conference
• Top Paper Award at Central States Communication Association (CSCA) conference

As a mentor, she employs 'guided autonomy' with graduate students, prioritizing both academic navigation support and independent research development through project-based collaboration. Her teaching excellence is evidenced by multiple Purdue University teaching awards, including three W. Charles Redding Awards and the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher honor. Though no formal lab structure is described, her collaborative publications indicate active interdisciplinary partnerships across communication and information science fields.