Jiemin LOOI

Jiemin Looi (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research examines how consumers perceive, interact with, and are persuaded by advertising technologies. Jiemin’s work is also contextually aligned with the strategic communication of science, health, environmental, and risk issues.

To date, she has received 6 research awards, 10 academic honors and merit-based fellowships, as well as 10 professional development awards. Jiemin has also published extensively in flagship and SSCI-indexed academic journals, such as Public Understanding of Science, Energy Policy, Energy Research & Social Science, and Environmental Communication.

Research Interests

• artificial intelligence in advertising
• human-computer interaction
• public opinion of advertising technologies
• influencer marketing
• strategic communication for prosocial advertising campaigns

Publications

Looi, J., Kim, E. J. & Zihang, E., (2024), “Sponsorship disclosure in virtual influencer marketing: A computational assessment of users’ sentiment and engagement toward virtual influencer endorsements”, (Accepted/In press), Journal of Advertising Research.

Looi, J. & Kahlor, L. A., (2024), “Artificial Intelligence in Influencer Marketing: A Mixed-Method Comparison of Human and Virtual Influencers on Instagram”, (E-pub ahead of print) Journal of Interactive Advertising. 20 p.

Sussman, K. L., Looi, J., Bright, L. F. & Wilcox, G. B., (2024), “How Does Fear Drive the News of the Day? Examining Topic Salience During Trump's Transition of Power” in The Darker Side of Social Media: Consumer Psychology and Mental Health. Scheinbaum, A. C. (ed.). 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 20 p.

Sussman, K., Looi, J. & Park, H., (2024), “Examining Implications of Search Query Construction on Sentiment Analysis: The Case of Brandwatch”, (E-pub ahead of print) Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising. p. 1–18 18 p.

Ham, J., Li, S., Looi, J. & Eastin, M. S., (2024), “Virtual humans as social actors: Investigating user perceptions of virtual humans’ emotional expression on social media”, Computers in Human Behavior. 155, 14 p., 108161.

Song, G. Y. W., Looi, J., & Kang, E. Y. (2023). Assessing how an unofficial brand partnership affects a brand image: The case of the Satan Shoes. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1080/20932685.2023.2234930

Looi, J., & Ho, S. S. (2023). Spokespersons for science: Examining social media influencers’ popularization of controversial technologies on YouTube. Journal of Science Communication, https://doi.org/10.22323/2.22010206

Looi, J., Kemp, D. & Song, G. Y. W. (2022). Instagram influencers in health communication: Examining the roles of influencer type and message construal in COVID-19 prevention public service announcements. Journal of Interactive Advertising, https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2022.2140316

Ho, S. S., Looi, J., Leung, Y. W., K. Viswanath, M. A. Bekalu., (2020). Comparing the knowledge gap hypothesis in the United States and Singapore: The case of nanotechnology. Public Understanding of Science, 29(8), 835–854. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0963662520952547

Ho, S. S., Kim, N., Looi, J., & Leong, A. D. (2020). Care, competency, or honesty? Framing emergency preparedness messages and risks for nuclear energy in Singapore. Energy Research & Social Science, 65, 101477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101477

Ho, S. S., Looi, J., Goh, T. J. (2020). Scientists as public communicators: Individual- and institutional-level motivations and barriers for public communication in Singapore. Asian Journal of Communication, 30(2), 155–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2020.1748072

Ho, S. S., Looi, J., Leung, Y. W., Goh, T. J. (2019). Public engagement by STEM and non-STEM researchers in Singapore: A qualitative comparison of macro- and meso-level concerns. Public Understanding of Science, 29(2), 211-229. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0963662519888761

Ho, S. S., Oshita, T., Looi, J., Leong, A. D., & Chuah, A. S. F. (2019). Exploring Public Perceptions of Benefits and Risks, Trust, and Acceptance of Nuclear Energy in Thailand and Vietnam: A Qualitative Approach. Energy Policy, 127, 259-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.12.011

Ho, S. S., Leong, A. D., Looi, J., & Chuah, A. S. F. (2019). Online, Offline, or Word-of-Mouth? Complementary Media Usage Patterns and Credibility Perceptions of Nuclear Energy Information in Southeast Asia. Energy Research & Social Science, 48, 46-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.09.012

Ho, S. S., Looi, J., Leong, A. D., Leung, Y. W. (2018). Explicating Factual and Subjective Science Knowledge: Knowledge as a Mediator of News Attention and Attitudes. Asian Journal of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2018.1518466

Ho, S. S., Looi, J., Chuah, A. S. F., Leong, A. D., & Pang, N. (2018). “I can live with nuclear energy if…” Exploring public perceptions of nuclear energy in Singapore. Energy Policy, 120, 436–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.05.060

Ho, S. S., Leong, A. D., Looi, J., Chen, L., Pang, N., & Tandoc, E. Jr. (2018). Science literacy or value predisposition? A meta-analysis of factors predicting public perceptions of benefits, risks, and acceptance of nuclear energy. Environmental Communication, 457–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2017.1394891

Awards/Grants/Honors

Awards:

• 2023: Top Paper Award, Human-Machine Communication Interest Group, 73rd International Communication Association annual conference, with Eastin, M. S.
• 2022: MacDougall Student Paper Award (3rd Place), Newspaper & Online News Division, 105th Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication annual conference, with Sussman, K.
• 2022: Best Student Conference Paper, American Academy of Advertising annual conference, with Song, G. Y. W
• 2019: Best Published Article Award (Honorable Mention), Communicating Science, Health, Environment, & Risks (ComSHER) Division, Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication annual conference, with Ho. S. S., Leong, A. D., & Chuah, A. S. F.
• 2017: Best Presentation Award, 19th International Conference on Nuclear Energy Systems Engineering annual conference, with Ho. S. S., Leong, A. D., & Chuah, A. S. F.
• 2017: Top Student Paper Award, Communication and Technology Division, 67th International Communication Association annual conference, with Gan, D., Leong, A. D., & Chua, A.

Grants:

• 2023–2025: Hong Kong Baptist University Start Up Grant/HK$200,000
• 2022: Singapore Social Science Research Council Grant/ S$10,000: “Artificial intelligence in advertising: A mixed-method comparison of human and virtual social media influencers”.
• 2020–2021: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Grant/ US$2,500: “Twitter misinformation labels vs. Scientist’s fact-checking responses? Evaluating the strategies debunking misinformation about COVID-19 on Twitter”.
• 2017–2019: Nanyang Technological University Grant/ S$3,000: “Social phenomena on YouTube”.