By Lara-Julia Guerra '26
The Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference (MassURC) takes place annually on the UMass campus. This year, four journalism students took part in the conference, where they presented research addressing key questions about journalism, community and the future of the field.
Heesoo Jang, Assistant Professor in Media Law and Ethics in the Journalism Department and Honors Program director for Journalism, assisted Autumn Verna, Caroline Burge, Grace Chai, and Dylan Podlinski in their research, providing support and mentorship in the execution and preparation for their final presentations. In addition, Kyla-Journey Womack delivered an independent research project at the conference. Beyond those at MassURC, Tylva Abidin also shared findings at the SBS Undergraduate Research Symposium.
“I want other folks outside of this department to know how much research we do,” Jang said. “We do research all the time, you know? Like for PR projects, you look into PR campaigns, you look into histories of organizations... Same with journalism, they research into a social matter.”
Research is a fundamental component of journalism, yet it is often overlooked - last year, no journalism students presented at MassURC. Students typically see research as primarily STEM-focused, but Jang wanted to expand the definition of research to students.
“Our research is grounded in real-world relevance,” Jang said. “Research in our field doesn’t stop at analysis. The goal is to create something that has a broader impact, whether that’s a news story, a campaign, or a communication strategy.”
Autumn Verna '25, whose research focuses on accessibility in journalism, specifically aims to make podcasting more accessible for people with disabilities. Her interest stemmed from an internship with the University Inclusion Office, where she noticed an accessibility gap after a student with autism expressed interest in podcasting but lacked tailored resources.
“My research looked at how I took my knowledge of podcasting and made it more digestible for someone with auditory overstimulation and similar challenges,” Verna said. “The goal wasn’t to reduce the rigor of the material, but to present it in ways that were more accessible and easier to understand.”
Caroline Burge ‘28 said she initially did not realize journalism students had opportunities to participate in research conferences like the MassURC. After learning more about the process through Professor Jang and classroom discussions, she became interested in presenting her own research.
“Journalism is about presenting your findings, and I was able to do that in a different form,” Burge said. “It applies back to being a better journalist; being able to speak to people, knowing what to highlight, and creating a short synopsis of your research.”
Dylan Podlinski ‘28, a double major in journalism and civil engineering, said his STEM background initially narrowed his definition of research.
“I was talking to some STEM majors about it and I could tell they were considering whether or not what I was doing was traditional research,” Podlinkski said. “But you need humanities to understand the needs of people, and it counts just as much.”
Grace Chai ‘26 explored artificial intelligence literacy and attitudes towards AI use within student journalism spaces. Throughout interviews and surveys, Chai examined how student journalists navigate emerging technologies while maintaining ethical standards.
“I think MassURC is a really great opportunity to see other people's research, present your own research and realize the depth and extent of how many types of research exists out there,” Chai said. “I would encourage all journalism and general humanity students to realize that the projects they work on carry value in society and that they should go out and share it.”