Hailong Peng

Hailong Peng
  • Ph.D. Student

Contact Info

Biography —

Hailong Peng is a Ph.D. student at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. His research examines science, health, environmental, and risk communication in digital media environments. His work focuses on how social media information shapes people’s perceptions, behaviors, and engagement, with particular attention to the psychological mechanisms underlying persuasive effects across diverse cultural contexts. He also examines online discussions and public engagement surrounding science and environmental issues.

He earned his M.A. in Advertising from Xiamen University and B.A. in Public Relations from Hainan University in China. He also completed an exchange study at the Graduate Institute of Journalism, National Taiwan University.

Research —

Research Interests

  • Persuasive Communication
  • Science, Health, Environment and Risk Communication
  • Computational Communication

Research Groups

  • Science and Persuasion Group
  • Computational Health and Risk Communication Group

Teaching —

Courses Taught

KU

JMC 101 Media and Society (Aug 2026- present)

BUS 305 Business Writing (Aug 2025 – May 2026)

XMU

Statistics and Data Analysis (Sep 2023 – Jan 2024)

Selected Publications —

Publications

Zhang, N., Peng, H., Kang, L., & Chen, L. (2025). Attribute and network agenda setting on Chinese environmental issues: Examining the interplay between news media, government, and the public on Twitter. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 37(4), edaf065. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edaf065

Zhang, N., Peng, H., & Xu, C. (2025). The communication landscape of China’s environmental issues on international social media [in Chinese]. Journal of University of Science and Technology Beijing (Social Sciences Edition), 41(4): 98-108.

Selected Presentations —

Selected Conference Papers

Peng, H. (August 2026). Thinking deeply to act green: Examining cognitive elaboration and environmental risk perception as mediators of ChatGPT use intentions among university students. Paper presented at the 2026 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Zhang, N., Peng, H., & Wang. J. (June 2026). From online to offline: Exploring the pathways from incidental exposure to pro-environmental behavior and the moderating role of mianzi among Chinese youth. Paper presented at the 2026 International Communication Conference, Cape Town, South Africa.

Peng, H., Zhang, N., & Xu, C. (June 2024). Understanding the discourse on China's environmental issues on Twitter: Insights from hashtag and sentiment analysis. Paper presented at ICA 2024 Preconference: Impacts of Strategic Communication in an Interconnected World, Sydney, Australia.

Zhang, N., Peng, H., & Kang, L. (June 2024). Agenda setting on Chinese environmental issues: Examining the interplay between news media, government, and the public on Twitter. Paper presented at ICA 2024 Preconference: Impacts of Strategic Communication in an Interconnected World, Sydney, Australia.

Awards & Honors —

Awards

First Place Moeller Student Paper Award, Mass Communication & Society Division in AEJMC Annual Conference, 2026.

Robert P. Sigman Family Scholarship, William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas, 2026.

Graduate Student Travel Fund Award, University of Kansas, 2026.