Lara Zwarun

Lara Zwarun is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL), College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on persuasion, media communication, and environmental advocacy, particularly addressing the pollinator crisis and the role of social media in countering disinformation during conflicts like the Ukraine-Russia war. She actively integrates teaching and research, emphasizing critical analysis of media portrayals and systemic inequities in media ownership.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Communication, University of California Santa Barbara
  • M.A. in Advertising, University of Texas at Austin
  • B.A. in Rhetoric, University of California Berkeley

Her work has been published in journals such as Media Psychology, American Journal of Public Health, and Computers and Human Behavior. She participated in the 2019-2020 University of Missouri System Presidential Engagement Scholars program and collaborates with local organizations like Beyond Housing and Girls in the Know through community-based research initiatives.

Key research themes include:

• Digital media's role in societal crises
• Media literacy and information verification
• Environmental communication strategies
• Impact of social media during geopolitical conflicts
• Cognitive limitations in message processing

She has received recognition for her community engagement efforts and serves on UMSL's Civic Engagement and Sustainability Committees. Her recent publications analyze Ukrainian digital resistance, global sustainability campaigns, and media's influence on public health behaviors.