COM-PSI Team – COM-PSI Lab

Dr. Nathan Walter
Dr. Nathan Walter is the Founder and Co-Director of the Center of Media Psychology and Social Influence (COM-PSI). Professor Walter’s research concerns the effects of mass media, evaluation of strategic health messages, analysis of communication ecologies, the persuasive power of narratives, and correction of misinformation. His most recent work, which is supported by the FDA, focuses on novel methods to debunk tobacco-related misinformation. Prof. Walter’s overarching research agenda revolves around the development of multilevel and ecological models that provide a nuanced approach to the study of communication-related phenomena.

Callie Kalny
Callie is the Co-Director of COM-PSI and a doctoral candidate (ABD) in the Media, Technology, and Society program at Northwestern University. Her research examines the emotional, cognitive, and metacognitive mechanisms that shape the ways individuals interact with– and are ultimately influenced by– various types of media. Specifically, her work investigates the role that emotions and affective experiences play in the selection and processing of online information, the effects of (un)certainty on judgements and decision-making, and the persuasive influence of narrative storytelling. Callie is a graduate of Mercer University (B.A., Communication Studies) and Wake Forest University (M.A., Communication).

Rod Abhari
Rod is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in the Media, Technology, and Society program. His research uses computational methods to evaluate the influence of misinformation in online extremism. This has led him to study how partisan violence communicated in memes helped mobilize the January 6th insurrection, and how discredited scientific research has been used to support COVID-19 conspiracies. He holds an M.A. in Science and Technology Studies (Maastricht University), an M.A. in communication (University of Wisconsin – Madison), and a B.A. in Sociology (Middlebury College).

Christopher M. Dobmeier
Chris is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in the Media, Technology, and Society program. His research explores various pathways of influence, including the dynamic roles of emotions/affect and cognitions, as well as through emerging media and technology. His dissertation focuses on normative-behavioral cues that media users pick up from their parasocial relationships with media figures. Outside of his doctoral research agenda, he serves as a tutor in the Northwestern Prison Education Program, and has consulted on entertainment-education projects (data analysis). He holds a B.A. and M.A. in Communication from The SUNY University at Buffalo.

Valerie Gruest
Valerie Gruest is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in the Media, Technology, and Society program. In addition to her role in COM-PSI, she is a graduate student affiliate of the Center for Latinx Digital Media. She is interested in how the use of internet technology impacts people’s attitudes and behaviors. Particularly, her work explores the impact of new media on body image issues and eating disorders, the visibility of marginalized communities in digital media, and the evolution of contemporary art practices in online spaces. She holds an M.A. in Media, Technology and Society (Northwestern University), and a B.A. in Communication Studies with a double major in Art, Theory & Practice (Northwestern University). In addition to her scholarly research, she serves as an advocate for mental health and safe sport for aquatic disciplines in the Americas, given her background as an Olympic swimmer (Rio 2016 Olympic Games).

Jessica A. Zier
Jessi is a second-year doctoral student in the Media, Technology, and Society program. Her research explores the perceptions and impacts of algorithmically-driven content, and the productive and affective power this has on digital media users. She also explores how the actions and reactions of users alter their online behavior, thereby placing social power onto the algorithm itself, creating a human-algorithm feedback loop. She has lived and worked in ten countries across five continents, exploring digital innovation in various fields and contexts, which has inspired her academic path. She holds a B.Sc. in Cognitive Neuroscience (Minerva University) and M.A. in Digital Communication (Vrije Universiteit Brussel/University of Salzburg).

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Sijia Liu

Sijia is a first-year doctoral student in the Media, Technology, and Society program. She is interested in strategic communication to improve behavioral and psychological outcomes, with a particular focus on the role of emotions in health and emerging technology. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges communication, psychology, and public health. Specifically, her research explores how humor and other emotions can enhance positive effects and mitigate negative impacts of health and technology messages on digital media users. She holds a B.A. in Communication (Sun Yat-sen University) and an M.A. in Media and Communication (Tsinghua University).

Gabriel Garlough-Shah

Gabriel is a first year doctoral student in the Media, Technology, and Society program. His interests center around addressing questions within the fields of information retrieval and consumer behavior; specifically, those concerned with individuals’ use of social media, search engines, and generative AI. These questions largely focus on consumers' ability to obtain and engage with content on these interactive media, along with affective and behavioral reactions toward said content. His current work investigates the ways in which consumers may be using generative-AI powered search engines (e.g., Google Gemini) and traditional search engines (e.g., Google) in a complimentary manner as they forage for information on the web, focusing on behavioral differences when searching on each platform and affective responses to the layout and presentation of this information. He holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Strategic Communication) and an M.A. from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Mass Communication).