Jessica Ghilani

Dr. Jessica Ghilani is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, with affiliations at Pitt’s Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security and the Center for Applied Research. She studies information ecosystems through the Civil Resilience Initiative at Pitt Cyber’s Oakland campus.

Her research spans media studies, information integrity, propaganda, digital culture, telecom policy, and the ethical implications of AI and algorithms. She explores mis/disinformation in digital realms and has authored the book manuscript Selling Soldiering: Advertising for US Army Volunteers since 1914, under contract with Lexington Books.

Scientific Awards & Funding:

• Innovation in Education Award (2019, Provost’s Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence)
• National Endowment for the Humanities grant
• Smithsonian Institution fellowship (National Museum of American History and National Air and Space Museum)
• Aviation Space Writers Foundation grant
• American Association of University Women fellowship
• University of Pittsburgh fellowship
• Duke University Special Collections Libraries fellowship

In 2024, she presented to White House officials on algorithmic platforms and misinformation. She contributes to media commentary, including as a social media expert on Talk Pittsburgh, and engages in community outreach on digital literacy since 2018. Ghilani co-founded the social media startup Covey, which participated in the nationally-ranked Alphalab accelerator.