S. Shyam Sundar

S. Shyam Sundar is Evan Pugh University Professor at Pennsylvania State University and holds the James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects title. He is the founding director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory and the director of Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence. His research focuses on the social and psychological effects of digital media and human-computer interaction, particularly examining how technological elements like multimodality and interactivity shape user experiences. Recognized as one of the most influential scholars in internet-related research, he has authored over 276 scholarly articles with more than 36,000 citations. His work addresses topics such as fake news, social media, generative AI technologies, and has earned multiple international academic awards, including the status of Fellow of the International Communication Association.

• 2020 – Present·Pennsylvania State University·Director, Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence
  • Leading research on the societal impact of artificial intelligence and promoting the development of human-centered AI technologies.
• 1995 – Present·Pennsylvania State University·Professor
  • Conducting research and teaching in the fields of digital media and human-computer interaction while mentoring numerous graduate and undergraduate students.
• 2018 – Present·Pennsylvania State University·James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects
  • Leading academic research and practice in media effects, advancing the understanding of new media technologies in academia.

• 1990–1995·Stanford University·Ph.D.
  • Majored in Communication and Psychology.
• 1988–1990·University of Alabama·Master’s
  • Majored in Journalism.
• 1984–1988·Bangalore University·Bachelor’s
  • Majored in Engineering.