Bio
Valerie Jones investigates how new communication technologies can address societal challenges and improve quality of life. She is interested in the influence of voice-powered artificial intelligence assistants and whether the devices can reduce loneliness and create social connections for aging adults. Her research has been published in Frontiers in Digital Health, Health Communication, Innovation in Aging, and the Journal of Brand Strategy. She is founder and co-director of the SMART-Lab (Social and Traditional Media Analytics and Research Tools), a new multi-disciplinary research facility focused on social and traditional media. Jones is the Fred A. & Gladys Seaton Professor of advertising and public relations in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. In 2023, she was named a Fulbright Global Scholar to study the use of emergent technology in fostering social connectedness for aging adults in the United States and Australia. Jones leads the 2024-25 Bateman Case Study Competition, a competition for students to research, plan, implement and evaluate a public relations campaign for an actual client. She teaches classes in media strategy, data ethics, branding, digital insights and analytics. (Updated December 2024)