Elizabeth Stoycheff

Dr. Elizabeth Stoycheff serves as Associate Professor and program head of Journalism within Wayne State University's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. She teaches media literacy, journalism, international communication, and quantitative methods while leading curriculum development for journalism programs and contributing to university governance as an Academic Senate member.

Her academic credentials include:

• B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Iowa
• M.A. in Communication from The Ohio State University
• Ph.D. in Communication from The Ohio State University

Stoycheff's research investigates how digital technologies reshape democratic engagement, with concentrated expertise in online surveillance's chilling effects, disinformation ecosystems, content moderation policies, and digital privacy frameworks. She examines these phenomena through political communication lenses, analyzing how platform architectures and government interventions influence public opinion formation and civic participation across diverse demographic groups. Her methodological approach integrates large-scale survey design with experimental analysis to quantify behavioral impacts of digital governance.

Her publication trajectory reveals evolving scholarly focus from foundational internet-democracy relationships toward contemporary crises like pandemic-era online harassment and children's data vulnerability. Recent work demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary reach, connecting communication theory with child development research, privacy law, and public health frameworks while maintaining core commitments to press freedom measurement and democratic theory.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Promising Professor designation from AEJMC
• College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts Outstanding Teaching Award
• Scripps Howard Visiting Professorship in Social Media
• Wayne State Online Teaching Quality Fellowship

Externally funded research initiatives include major grants from Facebook, WhatsApp, The Waterhouse Family Institute, and Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood, supporting investigations into platform governance and privacy impacts. As Associate Editor of Mass Communication & Society, she shapes field discourse while mentoring emerging scholars through program leadership. Her digital pedagogy innovations demonstrate commitment to translating research insights into educational practice, particularly regarding media literacy competencies for navigating complex information environments.