Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication
- College of Communication and Media
A state-of-the-art research and training hub where faculty, students, and partners use social media analytics and consumer insights tools to study culture, shape discourse, and prepare the next generation of strategic communicators.
- choij@montclair.edu
- Room 1011
Mission
To give the Montclair State University community access to the data-driven tools and consumer insights technology that define modern public relations, journalism, sports communication, social media, and advertising, and better prepare students for careers in these fields.
Vision
To establish the College of Communication and Media as a recognized leader in social media analytics training and research, fueling faculty scholarship, live events, and co-curricular work that reflects the issues and conversations that matter most to society.
Recent Studies
Where Data Meets Real-World Communication
Beyond the classroom, the Center functions as an active research operation. Faculty and graduate students use its tools to produce social media data analytics studies that draw sustained attention from national and international media, generating hundreds of millions of earned media impressions and establishing Montclair's College of Communication and Media as a recognized authority in strategic communication research.
Studies produced through the Center examine social media trends and public sentiment across economics, politics, public health, social justice, sports, and culture. The Center also supports student #Focus projects each semester, giving undergraduates hands-on exposure to the same professional tools used in active faculty research.
Research That Reaches the World
Since formally launching in the 2022–23 academic year, the Center has published 24 social media data analytics studies across four years. Research teams made up of faculty, staff, and graduate students have generated earned media coverage in outlets across more than 100 U.S. markets and in countries including India, China, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Media, Visibility, Impact
10 Studies, Nearly 1 Billion Impressions
Topics ranged from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's cultural impact on Sunday Night Football viewership to Gen Z sentiment around the 2024 Presidential Race. Coverage appeared in NBC New York, CBS News, Rolling Stone, the Associated Press, Reuters, and dozens of Top 100 U.S. markets. As of July 2024, 334 organizations from 82 countries downloaded the studies more than 2,700 times.
7 Studies, Hundreds of Millions of Global Impressions
In the 2022-2023 academic year, the center covered hate speech following Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, the commercialization of Valentine's Day, and human rights concerns around the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Coverage ran on CBS Evening News, NBC News, ABC News, the New York Times, Good Morning America, CNN, and Fox News. More than 300 organizations from 79 countries downloaded the studies more than 2,300 times.
Professional-Grade Platforms for Research and Learning
The Center is equipped with social media listening and publishing platforms, content creation applications, consumer insights tools, and influencer marketing software. These are the same platforms professionals use across public relations, advertising, journalism, and sports media. Training is provided or shared through tutorials as needed, based on the platform and classroom use.
Meet the Research Team
Research at the Center is led by faculty in the College of Communication and Media. Select any profile to learn more.
Scheduling An Appointment
The Center is open to students, faculty, and staff by appointment. Because it is also used for classes and co-curricular activities, an appointment is required to access the space and its tools.
- Associate Professor