Dr. M. Laeeq Khan

I am a results-driven mixed methods researcher, educator, and digital strategist, possessing strong analytical skills and having 15+ years of experience in leading and implementing quantitative (surveys, experiments, A/B testing), qualitative (ethnography, interviews, focus groups), and analytics (text, network, data visualization) research methodologies, project design, and analysis. I have served in diverse roles as consultant, manager, strategist, educator, and leader in the fields of communication, marketing, and social media, with a demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional, highly productive teams.

In 2014 I earned my Ph.D. in Media and Information Studies from Michigan State University. I am currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University; also serving as the founding Director of the Social Media Analytics Research Team (SMART) Lab. At the SMART Lab, I lead cross-functional research teams focusing on diverse topics, including user engagement, health informatics, risk and crisis communication, government public relations, misinformation and fake news on social media, and understanding media effects. I have successfully managed several creative projects that included web, social, and video messaging, from their design and implementation to their evaluation and analytics.

I am passionate about presenting data science to technical and non-technical audiences. I have experience working on research projects funded by USAID, National Science Foundation (NSF), and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. My research employing behavioral and attitudinal has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Computers in Human Behavior, Information, Communication, and Society, Behavior and Information Technology, International Journal of Communication, and Telematics and Informatics. My work and commentary have received considerable media attention and featured in the popular press such as The Hill, Tribune, and NPR.