Email: xiaohua8@illinois.edu
Research Interests
My research interests lie at the intersection of persuasion, health communication, and information behavior. I am particularly interested in how individuals seek, process, and respond to health information in changing media environments, as well as how persuasive strategies shape their perceptions and decisions in health-related contexts.
Before joining ICR, I earned my MSc in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam, where I specialized in persuasive communication, and my Bachelor of Economics from Renmin University of China.
Recent Publications/Presentations
Pfeuffer, A., Smit, E. G., van Reijmersdal, E. A., van Berlo, Z. M. C., He, X., Antsipava, D., & Kononova, A. (2026). Counterfeit Chronicles: Describing and Explicating Online Advertising for Counterfeit Products. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2026.2657274
Courses Taught
- ADV 360: Innovations in Advertising (26FA)
- ADV 150: Introduction to Advertising (26SP)
- ADV 284: Consumer Insights (25FA)
- ADV 305: Advertising Technology and the Digital World (25FA)
Awards and Honors
- 2026 WMSF Graduate Research Scholarship
- 2026 James Webb Young Summer Graduate Scholar
- 2025 Bart A. Cummings Advertising Gift Fund
What Most People Don’t Know about Me
I am a huge fan of fantasy stories! I have written a total of over 100,000 words of fan fiction, with some stories still in progress.