Weiyu Zhang - Candidate for Vice-president

Weiyu Zhang
National University of Singapore
Department of Communications and New Media

On this page, you will find Weiyu Zhang's candidate statement, the names of nominating members along with their supporting statements, as well as endorsements from other IAMCR members.

To add an endorsement in support of Weiyu Zhang, scroll to the bottom of this page and click: "Add comment". Please include your full name and affiliation in the "from" field.

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Statement

(English)

It is with profound honor that I stand before you to present my candidacy for the position of Vice President. As a Full Professor at the Department of Communications and New Media at National University of Singapore, my academic path has been centered around civic engagement and Information and Communication Technologies, with a particular emphasis on the Asian context.

IAMCR, to me, is not just an organization; it is a beacon of global inclusiveness and impact, upholding the finest traditions of critical scholarship. My journey with IAMCR, initiated in 2011 in Istanbul, has been a deeply enriching experience. In 2019 and 2023, I was honored to be elected Vice-Chair and Co-Chair of the Communication Policy and Technology Section (CPT), respectively. My engagement in IAMCR-level initiatives, such as serving on the grant committee and proposing awards for female scholars and decolonization, has allowed me to play a role in shaping the association's broader impact.

My vision as Vice President revolves around furthering IAMCR's inclusivity and enhancing our global impact. I am committed to ensuring that every voice within our association is not only heard but also deeply valued. I recognize the significance of fostering a South-to-South coalition and building junior-senior interactions.

(Spanish)

Es con profundo honor que me presento ante ustedes para presentar mi candidatura al puesto de Vicepresidente. Como Profesora Titular en el Departamento de Comunicaciones y Nuevos Medios de la Universidad Nacional de Singapur, mi trayectoria académica se ha centrado en el compromiso cívico y las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación, con un énfasis particular en el contexto asiático.

IAMCR, para mí, no es simplemente una organización; es un faro de inclusión global e impacto, que sostiene las mejores tradiciones de la beca crítica. Mi viaje con IAMCR, iniciado en 2011 en Estambul, ha sido una experiencia profundamente enriquecedora. En 2019 y 2023, tuve el honor de ser elegida Vicepresidenta y Copresidenta de la Sección de Política y Tecnología de la Comunicación (CPT), respectivamente. Mi participación en iniciativas a nivel IAMCR, como formar parte del comité de subvenciones y proponer premios para académicas y descolonización, me ha permitido desempeñar un papel en la formación del impacto más amplio de la asociación.

Mi visión como Vicepresidenta gira en torno a profundizar la inclusividad de IAMCR y mejorar nuestro impacto global. Me comprometo a asegurar que cada voz dentro de nuestra asociación no solo sea escuchada, sino también profundamente valorada. Reconozco la importancia de fomentar una coalición de Sur a Sur y construir interacciones entre académicos juniors y seniors.

(French)

C'est avec un profond honneur que je me présente devant vous pour présenter ma candidature au poste de Vice-président. En tant que Professeur Titulaire au Département de Communications et Nouveaux Médias de l'Université Nationale de Singapour, mon parcours académique s'est centré sur l'engagement civique et les Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication, avec un accent particulier sur le contexte asiatique.

L'IAMCR, pour moi, n'est pas simplement une organisation ; c'est un phare d'inclusion mondiale et d'impact, qui soutient les plus nobles traditions de la recherche critique. Mon voyage avec l'IAMCR, entamé en 2011 à Istanbul, a été une expérience profondément enrichissante. En 2019 et 2023, j'ai eu l'honneur d'être élue Vice-présidente et Co-présidente de la Section de Politique et Technologie de la Communication (CPT), respectivement. Ma participation à des initiatives de l'IAMCR, telles que le service au comité des subventions et la proposition de récompenses pour les chercheuses et la décolonisation, m'a permis de jouer un rôle dans la formation de l'impact plus large de l'association.

Ma vision en tant que Vice-présidente tourne autour de l'approfondissement de l'inclusivité de l'IAMCR et de l'amélioration de notre impact mondial. Je m'engage à veiller à ce que chaque voix au sein de notre association soit non seulement entendue, mais aussi profondément valorisée. Je reconnais l'importance de favoriser une coalition Sud-Sud et de construire des interactions entre les chercheurs juniors et seniors.


Nominated by:

Francesca Musiani, French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), France

Jeremy Shtern, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada

Julia Pohle, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Germany

Changfeng Chen, Tsinghua University, China:

It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse Dr. Weiyu Zhang for the position of Vice President of IAMCR. Dr. Zhang's exceptional contributions to the field of communication and her commitment to advancing the goals of IAMCR make her an outstanding candidate for this role.

Dr. Weiyu Zhang, an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication and New Media, National University of Singapore, has established herself as a leading scholar in the domain of civic technology and trusted internet practices. As the founder and director of the Civic Tech Lab and a Principal Investigator at the NUS Centre for Trusted Internet and Community, Dr. Zhang has demonstrated visionary leadership and a dedication to cutting-edge research.

Her academic background, with a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, reflects a strong foundation in communication studies. Dr. Zhang's international experience and collaborative mindset align seamlessly with IAMCR's mission to foster global communication research and collaboration. I believe that her innovative ideas, leadership skills, and commitment to inclusivity would significantly contribute to the growth and development of IAMCR.

I wholeheartedly support Dr. Weiyu Zhang's candidacy for IAMCR Vice President. If you have any further questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out.


Lei ZHANG, Communication University of China:

This is a letter of nomination in which I nominate Prof. Weiyu ZHANG for the position of Vice President of the IAMCR.

Prof. Weiyu Zhang serves as a professor in the Department of Communication and New Media at the National University of Singapore, and as a visiting professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at Nanjing University in China. She specializes in public engagement and civic action in the age of Internet and has published widely in this area. In 2016, she published a book titled The Internet and New Social Formation in China: Fandom Publics in the Making, which is an in-depth exploration of fandom culture and the online public sphere in China. It is an outstanding book in this field. She has also published widely on Internet and the public concerning countries and regions such as Singapore, Turkey, and Hong Kong, China. In 2021, she introduced the concept of "traffic media" and analyzed the social significance of algorithms and traffic. In 2022, she conducted a survey on the political participation of young people in Singapore, pointing out that in the age of social media, there is a gap between the growth of political interest and the decline of political participation.

Prof. Weiyu Zhang is full of enthusiasm and energy. She is not only keen in studing public participation, but is passionate about social engagement herself. I met her in 2005 when she was a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania, and since then I have witnessed her academic impact growing. She is the founder and director of the Civic Tech Lab. She is active in organizing academic events, including those within the IAMCR. She is already a significant node figure in the global academic network.

I believe that Prof. Weiyu Zhang will make a great contribution to IAMCR's academic network with the position of IAMCR Vice President.


María T. Soto-Sanfiel, National University of Singapore:

I am pleased to formally endorse the candidacy of Dr. Professor Weiyu Zhang from the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore for the position of Vice President of IAMCR. I am confident that Dr. Zhang's exceptional intelligence, professional experience, work ethic, interpersonal skills, and expertise in the field of scientific communication would make her an outstanding choice for this role. Selecting Dr. Zhang as IAMCR Vice President would undoubtedly be a valuable decision, benefiting not only our association but also our scientific community and the broader field. Please consider this message as a strong statement of my support for her candidacy.


Comments

Submitted by URaman on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 13:12

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From
Usha Raman, University of Hyderabad

I'm really pleased to see that Weiyu is contesting for the post of Vice-President of the IAMCR Executive Board. I've been impressed with her enthusiasm and commitment as a Co-Chair of the Communication, Policy and Technology Section, as in other tasks she has undertaken for the Association. Her critical yet empathetic approach, and her understanding of institutional dynamics would make her a valuable member of the leadership team.

Submitted by sahill on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 13:38

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From
Stephanie Hill

I met Weiyu just after her election as vice-chair of the CPT section in in Madrid in 2019 and have been privileged to get to know her better since then as a friend and co-chair of the Emerging Scholars Network.

She has been a reliable partner for the Emerging Scholars Network keeping in touch with our group and helping to arrange joint sessions between ESN and CPT at the annual conference. She’s a focused and reliable person to work with—and very kind, which is a bonus.

Weiyu is a dedicated scholar and engaged member of the international academic community. In addition to her vice-chair and now chairing duties in the Communication Policy and Technology Section, she has shown real dedication to IAMCR’s efforts beyond the conference. She travelled from Singapore to Paris to chair sessions in the joint UNESCO/IAMCR preconference on Governing the Internet for Democracy: Lessons from Research Embracing a Multicentred World, where she brought a needed perspective from her research and experience in communication technology and policy in Asia.

Weiyu’s research on civic technology and public deliberation is timely and important and would be a wonderful asset to IAMCR as we navigate the arrival of AI into our everyday lives. I am very happy to endorse her candidacy for vice-president.

Submitted by DevinaSarwatay on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 19:51

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From
Devina Sarwatay

I am Devina, a long-standing member of IAMCR and presently co-Vice Chair of the Media Education Research (MER) section. With this statement, I strongly endorse the nomination of Prof. Weiyu Zhang for the position of IAMCR Vice President.

Prof. Zhang's focus on international, inclusive, and impactful South-to-South coalitions with Junior-to-Senior interactions is not only timely but also pertinent to our global realities. This strengthens our academic community not just in the present but lays a strong foundation for the future.

She exemplifies these principles in her scholarship and practice. For instance, when serving as part of the editorial team of a reputed journal, she wholeheartedly welcomed my thoughts - even when I was a PhD student - on how to engage young scholars via social media and encourage participation from diverse voices. She practices what she preaches and puts the welfare of others at the forefront to lift them up!

This is exactly the kind of leadership we need at IAMCR and this is why Prof. Zhang should be part of our Executive Board.

I fully support her candidature for Vice President and encourage everyone to vote for her.

Submitted by Evan de Fliert on Thu, 02/22/2024 - 04:22

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From
Elske van de Fliert (IAMCR Treasurer)

I would like to endorse Weiyu Zhang's nomination for one of the Vice President positions. Weiyu enthusiastically joined the S&WG/C&TF Fund Evaluation Committee (which I chair) in 2022 and contributed effectively to the evaluation and selection of project proposals to enhance the out-of-conference activities of the IAMCR Sections and Working Groups / Committees and Task Forces. I believe she will bring positive energy to the 2024-28 EB, if elected.

Submitted by LKomen on Fri, 02/23/2024 - 02:40

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From
Leah Komen

I serve with Prof Weiyu in the CPT division and in the short moment I have interacted with her, I could not help but notice her leadership skills, her eye for details and sense of quality in reviews and selections of papers for conference. She is respectful to divergent views and is a collaborator. I am sure she will bring these attributes to bear in this new role.

Submitted by FMusiani on Thu, 02/29/2024 - 17:43

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From
Francesca Musiani

I had the pleasure of working with Weiyu as Julia Pohle, Jeremy Shtern, she and I co-chaired the CPT section. I am so pleased she has chosen to present her candidacy as VP, and recommend her wholeheartedly.

Submitted by JPohle on Tue, 03/05/2024 - 15:16

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From
Julia Phle

I've been working with Weiyu as part of the CPT section's chairing team for several years and I have got to know her as a very well organised, effective, fair and engaged member of academia, dedicated to IAMCR and its membership. She is very motivated to help making IAMCR an even more inclusive, global and vibrant community of scholars and to increasing the participation from the Global South. That's why I fully support her candidacy for VP.

Submitted by PHwaAng on Wed, 03/13/2024 - 14:01

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From
Peng Hwa Ang

I am delighted that IAMCR has an able, strong and visionary candidate to serve as Vice President. I first time met Weiyu at a conference in Texas right after she completed her PhD. She won the top paper for that conference. I have since tracked her trajectory. Our paths crossed in Turkey at her first IAMCR.

She has gone on to organise and lead other events, workshops and conferences and has grown into a flourishing academic. She certainly has my vote.

Submitted by Shikha on Fri, 03/29/2024 - 08:02

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From
Shikha Shalini, USMC, Guru Gobin Sinngh Indraprastha University, Delhi

I am pleased to formally recommend the candidacy of Dr. Professor Weiyu Zhang from the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore for the position of Vice President of IAMCR. I met with Prof Weiyu in the CPT division last year when I presented my paper at the CPT in Lyon, France conference. In that short moment, I interacted with her and observed her leadership skills and her empathetic approach. I am sure she will bring these traits to this new role. I've been impressed with her passion and commitment as a Co-Chair of the Communication, Policy and Technology Section. Selecting Professor Weiyu as IAMCR Vice President would unquestionably be an appreciated decision.

Submitted by jidayiming on Mon, 04/15/2024 - 07:38

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From
Yiming Chen from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Prof Zhang is an exceptional scholar in the field, boasting a wealth of international collaboration experience. Her invaluable contributions to IAMCR over the years have solidified her reputation as an outstanding organizer. Given her extensive service record at IAMCR, I firmly believe she is more than deserving of the position of Vice-President, which will undoubtedly propel IAMCR towards a brighter future.

Submitted by giginegro on Mon, 04/15/2024 - 11:16

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From
Gianluigi Negro - Associate Professor at University of Siena

I express my support for the candidature of Prof. Zhang as Vice President of IAMCR. I had the pleasure and privilege of appreciating Weiyu's academic activities in the last decade, both during her visiting research period in Europe and during the several international conferences she organized (not only under the IAMCR frame).
I am sure Prof. Zhang's vision to enhance IAMCR inclusivity, impact, and internationalization will be fully achieved during her mandate.