International Academic Dialogues to Promote Exchanges and Mutual Learning on Civilization
[Sino-foreign Humanities and Academic Exchange Series (3)]
Missouri School of Journalism—Chengdu University of Technology "Overseas Professor Lecture Week"
Introduction
The third event of our university's 2022 Sino-foreign humanities and academic exchange series is the "Overseas Professor Lecture Week" jointly organized by the Missouri School of Journalism and Chengdu University of Technology. The event will officially kick off in late November 2022, and five well-known overseas scholars will give lectures on topics in the interdisciplinary fields of journalism. All faculties and students of our university are welcome for participation.
I. University of Missouri
Logo of University of Missouri
Founded in Columbia City in 1839, the University of Missouri was the only university on the west bank of the Mississippi River at that time. It has now developed into the University of Missouri system including four campuses of Columbia, Rolla, Kansas and St. Louis. The four campuses accommodate a total of 63,000 students. The University of Missouri is the only university among the 34 universities in the state selected for the AAU (Association of American Universities), known as the "Public Ivy League School". In 1908, the world's first journalism department was established at the University of Missouri.
II. Expert Introduction (some)
1. Dr. Fritz Cropp
Dr. Cropp is a member of the decision-making committee, Associate Dean, and Director of global programs of Missouri School of Journalism. Dr. Cropp is in charge of diverse global cooperation and exchange programs at the Missouri School of Journalism, and is also an associate professor of international journalism and advertising. Dean Cropp attaches great importance to different types of cooperation with Chinese news media and the schools of journalism and communication. He has also managed several large U.S. State Department grants aimed at promoting journalism education worldwide. Dr. Cropp has offered international exchange opportunities for postgraduate students in more than 25 countries, and developed and implemented several short-term training programs for journalists and educators both in their home countries and at the Missouri School of Journalism. Dr. Cropp supervises academic courses for more than 60 visiting scholars, journalism practitioners and experts (including scholars and experts from China) every year. Dr. Cropp has also visited and taught at journalism schools and news media in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi'an, Xiamen, Wuhan and Hangzhou, China. In November 2005, the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China awarded Professor Cropp the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Sino-US Journalism and Communication Education Cooperation and Exchange".
2. Dr. Ernest Zhang
Dr. Ernest Zhang is Director of the China Cooperation Program in the Global Exchange Program Department of Missouri College. Ernest Zhang once served as Deputy Director of the Political Science Education Department of Guangzhou Daily. In 2002, he received a master's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, and in May 2008, he received a doctorate degree from the school. Zhang's doctoral research involves media integration, media group management, media economics and international journalism. Zhang is a member of AEJMC (Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication), ICA (International Communication Association), NCA (National Communication Association) and CCA (China Communication Association-[USA]). Zhang's doctoral dissertation, Exploring of Media Integration: Can It Integrate Quality Journalism, Economies of Scale and Scope, and Competitive Advantage? was well received by the academic committee, and he was praised by Dr. Mills, the former dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, as "one of those who best understand media integration in the United States". In terms of promoting exchanges between China and the United States, since 2000, Dr. Zhang has designed, initiated and developed a variety of cooperation and exchange projects with media and journalism schools in major cities such as Beijing, including Sino-foreign cooperative education project with Faculty of International Media, Communication University of China. In November 2005, the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China awarded Ernest Zhang the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Sino-US Journalism and Communication Education Cooperation and Exchange". The University of Missouri awarded Dr. Zhang the "2009 International Exchange and Cooperation Contribution Award" in April 2009. The Missouri School of Journalism awarded Dr. Zhang the "2018 Amy Linker Award for Outstanding Journalism Education Management" in April 2018.
3. Dr. Lingshu Hu
Dr. Lingshu Hu is an assistant professor of business administration at the Williams School of Business, Washington and Lee University. His teaching interests primarily lie in helping students of social science understand data analysis and master storytelling techniques through data analysis and visualization. Prof. Hu's research focuses on developing computational social science research methods (such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing) and applying them to examine patterns and effects of opinion expression and self-presentation in computer-mediated environments. He also employs experiments and questionnaires to explore the causes and implications of findings in computational social science research. Prof. Hu collaborates with scholars in various fields such as social psychology, public relations, political communication, and health communication, and applies computational social science methods to these fields. Prof. Hu received his Ph.D. from the Missouri School of Journalism and a research certificate in artificial intelligence and machine learning. He has also completed a master's program in computing at the University of Missouri and is writing his graduation thesis. Prof. Hu received his first master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, majoring in gender and media studies. Before pursuing his Ph.D., Prof. Hu worked as a news editor and data reporter for Guangzhou Daily for four years.
4.James Flink
Mr. James Flink is an associate professor of strategic communications at the Missouri School of Journalism. He has been teaching at the college for more than 20 years. He has served as Director of the innovative website Newsy.com for four years and as a mobile video news consultant for one year. In addition, he led the Newsy entrepreneurial team to win the Appy Awards (Best News) in 2011, prevailing over the teams of CNN and Flipboard, and again won the Appy Awards (Best iPad News Publishing) in 2013. Flink served as chief anchor and reporter for KMBC Television in Kansas City from 1995 to 2010. His works have been featured on several television shows, including ABC's "Good Morning America." Flink has also been honored with major journalism awards such as the Emmy Awards, Murrow Awards and Associated Press Awards. Flink earned his bachelor's degree from Missouri's Westminster College and a master's degree from the Missouri School of Journalism.
III. Way of Participation
The Zoom platform is used for online lectures, and the conference registration information on the Zoom platform will be announced in early November. Please stay tuned.
