Richard T. Robertson School of Communication

College of Humanities and Sciences

Current Students

Professor Joshua J. Smith

Joshua J. Smith, Ph.D.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Assistant Professor

College Dean's Fellow, VCU Instructional Innovation Council, AI in Mass Media

T. Edward Temple Building, 901 W. Main St., room 2203D

Personal website

Lab website

AI and Communication

Media Psychology

Public Relations

Strategic Communication

10 Years of Service Badge

 

 

 

Education

Background

Joshua J. Smith, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of public relations at the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in public relations, mass communication, media, and artificial intelligence. His teaching areas include writing, strategy, media relations, and visual communication. He has over a decade of full-time experience in nonprofit, healthcare, and business communication and leadership. As a faculty member, he now works with clients nationwide on award-winning campaigns, bridging professional practice and academic insights.

Dr. Smith earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mass communication with a focus on strategic public relations, and completed a Ph.D. in Media, Art, and Text. His research centers on media psychology and the influences of technology and human decision making.

He serves on curriculum committees at the school, college, and university levels. He has led multiple curriculum changes and overhauls in the undergraduate public relations and graduate Integrated Communication programs. He has also developed several new courses offered through the Robertson School. He is also a founding fellow of the Media + AI Initiative, an interdisciplinary effort that connects students, teachers, and media industries around emerging technologies. His academic work spans ethics, healthcare communication, media literacy, media psychology, and digital media tools. 

Across his teaching, research, and service, he supports students to be innovative early adopters and trend spotters with meaningful careers. He is happiest when former students make good headlines or stop by campus for coffee.

Affiliations

  • Adobe Education Exchange (EdEx)
  • American Psychological Association (APA)
    • Division 46: Media psychology and Technology
  • Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
  • Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP)
  • International Communication Association (ICA)
    • Division: Public Relations | Children, adolescents and media
  • Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
    • Richmond Chapter, Board of Directors 2019-2022

Articles/Opinions

Accolades and Media Mentions

Awards

  • Smith, J. (2025) Silver: Guaranteed Care Campaign, Marketing Effectiveness International | Healthcare | Medical Industry Marketing.  
  • Smith, J. (2024) Gold: Senior Insights Web Design, Hermes Creative Awards. Honored for outstanding website design and communication strategies in the medical/healthcare sector.
  • Smith, J. (2024) Honorable Mention: Guaranteed Care Campaign, MarCom Internal Awards. Advertising/Marketing | Ads | 1c. Advertising Campaign.
  • Smith, J. (2024) Honorable Mention: #Love > Shame: Driving National Change, MarCom International Awards. Strategic Communications | Communications/Public Relations | 120c. Communication Plan.
  • Smith, J. (2024) Honorable Mention: #RxSafe: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Hermes Creative Awards. Acknowledged for effective communication strategies in promoting public health and safety awareness.
  • Smith, J. (2024) Bronze: Senior Insights Website Design, Summit International Media Awards. Creative Website - Health Care.
  • Smith, J. (2024) Bronze: Senior Insights Consumer Website, Summit Creative Awards. Best Consumer Website (International) Health Care and Medicine. Recognized for excellence in consumer website development and digital marketing strategies.
  • Smith, J. (2023) Platinum: Media Careers Start Here, MarComm International Awards. Strategic Communications | Marketing/Promotion Campaign | 104c. Integrated Marketing.
  • Smith, J. (2023) Gold: Boosting Volunteer Applications, MarComm International Awards. Strategic Communications | Communications/Public Relations | 127c. Social Media Campaign.
  • Smith, J. (2023) Gold: #Love is > Greater Than Shame, Hermes Creative Awards. Recognized for strategic excellence in public relations during the pandemic.

Scholarship

  • Smith, J. (2024, March). Potential TikTok ban is a high-stakes threat for its young user base and beyond, VCU professor says. VCU News. https://bit.ly/3MBcttO
  • Smith, J. (2024, March 26). Prepare your influencer strategy for the potential ban of TikTok. PRSA PrSay. https://bit.ly/3MX7dYW
  • Smith, J. (2024). Expert opinion: Valuing membership awards – Stakeholder relations. WalletHub. https://bit.ly/3IRYMXD
  • Alkazemi, M. F., Alkhubaizi, N., & Smith, J. J. (2022). The implications of public health messaging strategies: How branding disease may improve public health awareness in the GCC. In N. Lan, Q. Wang, & B.-L. Sha (Eds.), Intercultural public relations: Realities and reflections in practical contexts (pp. [insert page range]). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315641720-13
  • Smith, J. (2021). New advertising regulations with minors puts emphasis on organic PR. PRSA. PrSay. https://bit.ly/3LPvwFh
  • Smith, J. (2021). Social media advertising changes amid pushback about digital spaces and teen mental health. Digital Sociology Lab. https://bit.ly/3LPvwFh
  • Smith, J. (2021). Facebook’s new ad policies for minors emphasize organic PR. Social Media & SEO. PR News. https://bit.ly/3LOZ8fa
  • Alkazemi, M., & Youakim, C. E. (Eds.). (2021). Arab worlds beyond the Middle East and North Africa. G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series. Lexington Books. ISBN: 179361766X, 9781793617668. [Cover designer: J. Smith].
  • Meganck, S., Smith, J., & Guidry, J. P. D. (2020). The skills required for entry-level public relations: An analysis of skills required in 1,000 PR job ads. Public Relations Review, 46(5), 101973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101973
  • Smith, J. (2020). PR should beware of zombie accounts. Social Media & SEO. PR News. https://bit.ly/3MD8M6P
  • Smith, J. (2020). How to use bolstering messages to grow brand trust. Messaging. PR News. https://bit.ly/3LCcvmQ
  • Smith, J. (2020). The crisis paradox. In The book of crisis management: Vol. 10 (pp. 118-110). PR News. https://bit.ly/3MBznpo
  • Smith, J. (2020). Avoiding communication fatigue as coronavirus separates workforces. Public Relations Society of America. https://bit.ly/3MC5Z71
  • Hopkins, D. (2019). Sepsis in Rwanda. Poster session. [Role: Image restoration / poster designer].
  • Lee, Y.-I., Zhang, Y., Jin, Y., Kim, S., Martin, E. F., & Smith, J. J. (2019). Opening the minds’ eye: The pivotal role of sympathy in depression coverage effectiveness. Communication Studies. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2019.1650086
  • Hopkinson, D., Mucyo, W., & Nkeshimana, M. (2019). Two young men with STEMI in Rwanda: A case report. Rwanda Medical Journal. University of Rwanda School of Medicine and Pharmacy; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali, Department of Accident & Emergency. [Role: Illustrative EKG image restoration and repair].
  • Bajkiewicz, P., & Smith, J. (2019). On-camera media relations training for public relations students: A "Look Live" on-camera interview assignment. Poster session presented at the AEJMC Conference, Toronto, Canada.
  • Meganck, S., & Smith, J. (2019). Embracing public relations writing techniques in the classroom. Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication, 9(1), 41-44.
  • Meganck, S., Guidry, J., & Smith, J. (2019, April). Skills needed for entry-level public relations positions: An analysis of job listings. Paper presented at the BRIDGE Conference, Washington, D.C.
  • Bajkiewicz, T. A. (2018). Dear Kay: One man’s journey through grief (C). Amazon Books. ASIN: B07KBTBLKW. [Role: Print book design and layout].
  • Smith, J. Social Marketing Quarterly, 24(2), June 2018. [Role: Cover design].
  • Lee, Y.-I., Jin, Y., & Nowak, G. (2018). Motivating influenza vaccination among young adults: The effects of public service advertising message framing and text versus image support. Social Marketing Quarterly, 24, 152450041877128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500418771283. [Role: Visual Stimulus Design]
  • Anderson, R., Pang, A., Jin, Y., & Smith, J. (2018). Crisis communication and ethics: The role of public relations. Journal of Business Strategy, 39(1), 43-52.
  • McIntyre, K., & Gyldensted, C. (2017). Constructive journalism: An introduction and practical guide for applying positive psychology techniques to news production. Journal of Media Innovations, 4(2). [Role: Infographic design].
  • Life in 10 Minutes LLC. (2017). Nine lives - A life in ten minutes anthology (C). Chop Suey Books. ISBN: 978-0-9960912-5-1. [Role: Print book design and layout].
  • Guidry, J., Jin, Y., Haddad, L., Zhang, Y., & Smith, J. (2016). How health risks are pinpointed (or not) on social media: The portrayal of waterpipe smoking on Pinterest. Health Communication, 31(6), 659-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2014.987468. Epub 2015 Oct 29. PMID: 26512916.
  • Austin, L., & Jin, Y. (2015). Approaching ethical crisis communication with accuracy and sensitivity: Exploring common ground and gaps between journalism and public relations. The Public Relations Journal, 9. [Role: Research Assistant].
  • Jin, Y., Zhang, Y., Lee, Y.-I., Martin, E. F., & Smith, J. (2015). The effects of framing and attribution on individuals’ responses to depression coverage. Paper presented at the AEJMC Conference, San Francisco, CA.