Biography

Aya Shata — an assistant professor in digital media at the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies — brings more than 14 years of strategic communication teaching experience, and serves as the faculty advisor for UNLV's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

Shata is passionate about purpose-driven research that serves communities and pursues social change across a range of critical issues, including sustainable development, climate change, cyberbullying, HIV, women empowerment, and sexual harassment.

Her current research focuses on the ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the media landscape, with a particular emphasis on the role and impact of AI in public relations, advertising, and higher education. Shata's overarching goal is to promote a more responsible use of AI, striving to bridge the gap between theory and practice across various industries. 

Her previous research explored attitudinal and behavioral changes brought about by interactive digital media, examining narrative persuasion and the messaging embedded in entertainment education, and investigating the effectiveness of persuasive communication campaigns and media advocacy efforts. During her doctoral studies, she also looked at transmedia narrative to promote sustainable development and identify the narrative persuasion mechanism for transmedia edutainment.

Shata's work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Creative Communication, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Games for Health Journal, Journal of African Media Studies, and Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication.