ABOUT ME

Dr. Zhao Peng is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism at Emerson College. She is doing research in the domains of data visualization, online privacy literacy, computational journalism, and topic modeling. She uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches to address questions such as how communication scientists can present their findings more engagingly and interactively; how communication practitioners can apply DEI in data visualization; how news audiences will interact with, perceive, and consume algorithmic media; and how to design campaign messages to improve parents’ and children’s privacy literacy. Dr. Peng received her Ph.D. from the Michigan State University School of Journalism. She also obtained a master’s degree in Statistics in addition to her doctoral degree.

Zhao Peng Profile Headshot

SKILLS

  • Data Analysis

    R

    95%

    Python

    70%

    SPSS

    90%

    SQL

    65%

  • Web Design

    HTML

    85%

    CSS

    65%

  • A/V Editing

    Premiere Pro

    90%

    Audition

    80%

    Lightroom

    85%

RECENT WORK

  • The Use of the Design Justice Framework to Create Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) Data Visualization Guidelines

    We plan to conduct in-depth interviews with DEI experts to identify DEI data visual communication best practices. Based on the literature and interview data, we will develop a quantitative content analysis codebook to code and audit news stories with data visualizations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. governmental and news institutions expressed concern about reaching marginalized populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This codebook could also serve as a resource for professionals and researchers to conduct DEI data visualization audits in both journalism and non-journalism fields. This study contributes to the visual communication, science communication, health communication, journalism studies, and DEI literature by encouraging data communicators, institutions, and researchers to become aware of how visuals can be biased, inaccessible, and non-representative and this research will show how data visual communicators can improve their practice by showing them ways to create more accessible and representative content.

  • Algorithmic Journalism

    We are in the era of news algorithms. Computer science has evolved to a stage where algorithms can contribute to news production. News organizations, such as Associated Press, Forbes, Reuters, have been using automation to facilitate the writing of market reports on a daily basis. Algorithms and automation will continue to be incorporated into news production to enhance the scale, speed, efficiency, and breadth of content. With technology advancing, journalists should know how algorithms can better serve journalism. Students will study two major ideas in this class: 1) the new journalism model, where each step of the process is automated and augmented by AI, 2) the application of AI tools in news gathering, producing and distribution. No programming or computer science knowledge is required for this course.