Rate My Professor Laeeq Khan

Laeeq Khan, Ph.D., MBA, is a tenured Associate Professor in Communications at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication, specifically in the School of Media Arts & Studies, and the Founding Director of the Social Media Analytics Research Team (SMART) Lab. He earned his Ph.D. in Media & Information Studies from Michigan State University in 2014, an MBA in Marketing from Murray State University, and an M.S. from the same institution. A globally recognized scholar, Dr. Khan’s research focuses on digital media, strategic communication, and data analytics, with core specializations in audience engagement and social media analytics—investigating drivers of user participation, content virality, and brand engagement; strategic messaging in health and crisis communication—examining message credibility and public engagement; and ethical AI adoption and digital strategy—addressing public perceptions of emerging technologies. His prior experience as a digital marketing strategist informs his applied approach.

Dr. Khan has authored over 60 peer-reviewed studies and the book The Data Analytics Advantage: Strategies and Insights to Understand Social Media Content and Audiences (Oxford University Press, 2025), which provides practical frameworks like DAV for social media data analysis. Notable publications include “Social Media Engagement: What Motivates User Participation and Consumption on YouTube?” (Computers in Human Behavior, 2017), “Credibility and Influence in Health Messaging: Examining Medical Professionals’ Role on X during COVID-19” (Information, Communication & Society, 2025), and contributions to the SAGE Handbook of Researching YouTube (2022). As Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Intersection on Social Media in Society & Culture series, he oversees interdisciplinary work on digital disruption. An award-winning educator, he received Ohio University’s Learn Pillar Award in 2025 for excellence in teaching and student success, and was named a Faculty Newsmaker. Dr. Khan has led funded projects as PI, including Digital Inequality in Appalachian Ohio (2019), Crisis Communication during COVID-19 (2020), and secured grants from NSF, Gates Foundation, and others earlier in his career. His insights have appeared in NPR, The Hill, and USA Today, and he consults globally while mentoring students at universities in Canada, Oman, Pakistan, France, and Indonesia.