Lea Hellmueller

Lea Hellmueller is Associate Dean of Research in the School of Communication & Creativity and Reader (Associate Professor) in the Journalism Department at City, University of London. She is also an Affiliated Researcher with the Violence & Society Centre. Previously, she served as Assistant Professor at the University of Houston and Texas Tech University, and was a visiting professor at the University of Zurich and visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford.

Dr. Hellmueller holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, with dissertation co-supervision from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Texas at Austin.

Her research focuses on the role of media and journalism in a globalized world, particularly in areas such as global risk journalism, transnational reporting, journalistic role performance, media and social justice, and violence & media. Fluent in multiple languages, she brings a comparative and international perspective to her scholarship.

Her recent publications explore transnational journalism, digital media discourse, journalistic cultures, credibility, and terrorism coverage. The articles reflect a strong trend toward computational and comparative analysis of global media practices, emphasizing power, identity, and the transformation of journalistic norms across borders.

• Faculty Research Award, AEJMC (2019)
• Honorary Mention, ICA Journalism Studies Division (2018)
• Outstanding Research Award, University of Houston (2018)
• First Place Teaching Contest, AEJMC (2016)
• Top Faculty Paper, AEJMC (2016)
• Top Paper Award, ICA (2016)

Dr. Hellmueller has secured multiple competitive grants, including from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and Fulbright. She has supervised PhD students, currently mentoring Namrata Acharya. She serves on editorial boards of Journalism Practice and International Communication Gazette, and holds leadership roles in AEJMC and ICA. She is also the North America Regional Lead for the Global Risk Journalism Hub.

She is active in collaborative research networks and has contributed to major reports, including with the Reuters Institute. Her work bridges academic research, policy, and global media practices.