The Public Interest Communications Educators Network launched in the fall of 2021, led by faculty from the University of Florida and University of Washington. Its mission is to build the academic discipline of public interest communications nationwide, so that students can one day major in public interest communications as they major in journalism, public relations, advertising and other communication fields.

The network has about two dozen members from institutions across the country. It has organized panels about public interest communications at the International Communication Association and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications conferences and the National Communication Association conferences. It also organizes an annual Public Interest Communications Summer Institute,

We are looking to expand our network! If you are interested getting involved, please contact Angela Bradbery at abradbery@jou.ufl.edu or Andrea Otáñez at aotanez@uw.edu

Network Members

Members of the network include faculty and researchers from:

  • Appalachian State University
  • Columbia University
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  • Howard University
  • James Madison University
  • National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in Higher Education
  • Sonoma State University
  • Spitfire Strategies
  • University of Florida
  • University of Houston
  • University of Massachusetts Boston
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Oklahoma
  • University of the Pacific
  • University of South Carolina
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • Virginia Tech
  • University of Washington
  • West Virginia University

 

AI and the Public Interest: Ethics, Accessibility and Impact

AI is changing how we think about many areas of public interest, including education, healthcare, marketing, and communication, to name a few. In addition to recognizing that access to AI is not universal, academics, professionals, and activists are concerned about the moral judgment and ethical practices in AI and the potential consequences of AI manipulation of human behavior. On March 19, 2024, the Public Interest Communications Educators Network, of which the UF College of Journalism and Communication is a member, sponsored a webinar featuring prominent experts to address this topic.

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