Yujin Heo

Dr. Yujin Heo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Pennsylvania State University's Bellisario College of Communications. Her research focuses on strategic communication, digital advertising, consumer psychology, and persuasion, particularly exploring how evolving media landscapes influence consumer responses and message effectiveness.

Dr. Heo holds a Bachelor's and Master's from Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea) and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. Her work has been published in top journals such as Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Mass Communication and Society, and Journal of Health Communication. She has received awards for her research on public opinion dynamics and science communication from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).

Her research interests include analyzing polling effects, public understanding of science, health communication regarding tobacco products, and the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) messaging on consumer behavior. She employs mixed-methods approaches to understand media effects and audience responses.

Dr. Heo's recent studies examine the disconnect between perceived and actual polling impacts, cultural shifts in science perception in South Korea, and media framing of heated tobacco products. Her work bridges theoretical communication studies with practical implications for marketing, public health advocacy, and policy-making.

She is affiliated with Penn State's Department of Advertising and Public Relations and contributes to academic discourse through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Her research emphasizes ethical considerations in digital advertising and the societal impacts of evolving media consumption patterns.