Jocelyn Steinke

Associate Professor

Department of Communication

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Education

Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison

About

Jocelyn Steinke (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Steinke’s interdisciplinary research examines media images of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, focusing on the effects of media images on adolescent girls’ interest in STEM and their STEM identity development. Dr. Steinke’s research has informed STEM outreach and STEM media programs centered on broadening participation of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM. Dr. Steinke’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and published in leading journals in the field, including Science Communication, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and other journals. Dr. Steinke serves on the Science Communication Editorial Board and has served as an advisory board member and consultant for several NSF-funded media projects, including SciGirls. In addition, Dr. Steinke has served as a panel reviewer for several NSF programs. Dr. Steinke is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recognized for her contributions to the public understanding of science.

Courses Taught

• COMM 3310 Media Literacy and Criticism
• COMM 3310W Media Literacy and Criticism (Writing Intensive)
• COMM 3330 Children and Mass Media
• COMM 4300 Advanced Media Effects
• COMM 4995 Special Topics – Science Communication
• COMM 3498 Variable Topics in Specialized Communication: Gender, STEM, and
  Media
• COMM 5895 Science Communication (Graduate)

Research Interests

• Science communication
• STEM Identity
• Broadening STEM participation through media intervention
• Mass media effects

Select Publications  

Steinke, Jocelyn; Lin, Carolyn A.; Duncan, Tamia; Zambrano, Viviana (2022). “Cover Your Mouth and Nose”: Communication About Health Protection Behaviors by Role Models in YouTube COVID-19 Videos for Children. Journal of Science Communication.21(3):1-38. http://doi.org/10.22323/2.21030203

Steinke, Jocelyn; Applegate, Brooks; Penny, Jay R.; Merlino, Sean (2021). Effects of Diverse STEM Role Models in Promoting Adolescents’ Identification. International Journal of Science and
Mathematics Education. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-021-10168-z

Steinke, Jocelyn & Tavarez, Paola Maria Paniagua (2018). Cultural Representations of Gender and Science: Portrayals of Female STEM Professionals in Popular Films 2002-2014, International Journal of Gender, Science, Technology, 9(3): 244-276.

Steinke, Jocelyn (2017). Adolescent Girls’ STEM Identity Formation and Media Images of STEM Professionals: Considering the Influence of Contextual Cues, Frontiers, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00716.

Steinke, Jocelyn; Applegate, Brooks; Lapinski, Maria; Ryan, Lisa; & Long, Marilee (2012). Gender Differences in Adolescents’ Wishful Identification with Scientist Characters on Television, Science Communication, 34(2):163-199.

Steinke, Jocelyn; Lapinski, Maria; Crocker, Nikki; Zietsman-Thomas, Aletta; Williams, Yaschica; Higdon Evergreen, Stephanie; & Kuchibhotla, Sarvani (2007). Assessing Media Influences on Middle School-Aged Children’s Perceptions of Women in Science Using the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST), Science Communication, 29 (1):35-64.

Research Affiliations

• UConn Video Game and Media Effects Laboratory
• UConn InCHIP (Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy)

Website

https://www.jocelyndsteinke.com/