First & Foremost

If it seems like S. Shyam Sundar always has a plan, it’s probably because he does.

A persistent and pragmatic approach shapes Sundar’s academic and research pursuits. That thoughtful curiosity has provided the foundation for consistent success that has helped him earn international recognition while simultaneously enhancing the reputation of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

Sundar, the James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects, director of the Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence and founding director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory, was named the Bellisario College’s first Evan Pugh University Professor, effective July 1.

It’s the highest honor Penn State bestows on a faculty member. The distinction has been conferred by Penn State to only 79 faculty members since the designation’s establishment in 1960.

“In the field of communication- and media-related research, Dr. Sundar knows few equals. He is a pioneer in producing ground-breaking research on the effects of digital media interfaces and, more recently, human-computer interaction in the context of communication,” said Dean Marie Hardin of the Bellisario College. “His impact on the field has been remarkable.”

Dedicated and multitalented

Sundar is a theorist as well as an experimentalist who examines social and psychological effects of human-computer interaction and computer-mediated communication with a specific focus on technological elements such as multi-modality and interactivity that are unique to modern digital media. His research portfolio includes extensive examination of user responses to online sources, including machine sources such as chatbots, smart speakers and other forms of artificial intelligence.

Sundar was identified as the most published author of internet-related research in the field of communication during the medium’s first decade. His innate curiosity across a variety of disciplines helps shape much of his work, which has proven ground-breaking. For example, he envisioned computers and online peers as sources of news back in 1995, well before the advent of social media and generative AI and has been tracking how people respond to content emerging from such sources.

“Some of the questions we ask or answers we get may typically belong to different disciplines, but for me it’s more intellectual curiosity about online media and, more importantly, how people respond,” Sundar said. “I’m primarily focused on communication technology and psychology, and certainly my background in journalism fosters that curiosity. I go on a quest for answers without worrying about the fact that I may be straddling disciplines.”

While much of the scholarship in communication technology tends to focus on trends, Sundar’s work is known for its enduring theoretical value. His concepts and models have helped scholars understand new technologies over the past three decades, a period characterized by the historic emergence of several different forms of “new media” — from websites and mobile devices to social media and AI-based media.

“Because new technologies give us new ways of thinking about concepts, it keeps me excited about studying them,” said Sundar.

Sundar is a fellow of the International Communication Association and a recipient of the Frederick Williams Prize awarded for contribution to the study of communication technology. He is also the winner of the Paul J. Deutschmann award for lifetime excellence in research awarded by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Determination, necessity and, always, pragmatism have been the foundation of Sundar’s success. His diverse background and influences, including degrees in engineering, journalism and psychology, help him bring a big-picture approach to his research.

“I’m not chasing the next shiny new thing but always looking for concepts that vary across different technologies,” Sundar said. Specifically, his MAIN model (modality, agency, interactivity, navigability) has applications across all types of online media. Likewise, his theory of interactive media effects (TIME) can be utilized to better evaluate and understand any medium.

In addition, Sundar’s work — and work ethic — has been foundational for the Bellisario College’s graduate program and research portfolio. He’s an accomplished colleague with a collegial mindset.

“I feel privileged to be among colleagues who are both very professional and highly collegial,” Sundar said.” My students and I have benefited from Bellisario College faculty, staff, and administrators who have contributed to our research in many tangible ways, from providing a sounding board for our ideas to arranging funding for our studies to helping publicize the outcomes of our research.”

When he arrived at Penn State nearly three decades ago, he found an “empty palate” and leaders who gave him both space and support. Lab groups were formed. The Media Effects Research Lab was created, and Sundar’s curiosity and strategic approach consistently led to success.

Strong support at Penn State

Getting things started from the ground up was not easy, but it’s been worthwhile.

“It was stunning and thrilling and nerve wracking,” he said. “It was also exciting to get that research culture going — to build energy, recruit more faculty members and really make an impact.

“I am blessed to have had a great group of grad students to work with over the years, helping Penn State attain and sustain the status of a leading center for research on psychological aspects of emerging communication technologies.”

He said Penn State’s support for his endeavors has been generally speedy and efficient, allowing him to take lessons he gleaned from mentors as a student himself and enable the Bellisario College to continually build on its research reputation. Plus, he sees any roadblocks or setbacks as opportunities. “When you’re constrained, you’re more creative, you bring your best,” he said. “It’s like Twitter’s 140-character limit going to 280 characters. I think people were more creative at 140.”

Sundar also brings a sense of humor to his work. He’s accomplished and focused, but it’s not all-consuming, which allows time for some jazz disc jockey duties at a local radio station.

Sundar, who joined the Penn State faculty in 1995, earned a doctoral degree in communication and psychology from Stanford University, a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Bangalore University, India.

He was named a Distinguished Professor at Penn State in 2009, earned a Faculty Scholar Medal from the University in 2016 and was named the inaugural James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects in 2018.

“The Evan Pugh designation is not solely about research,” Hardin said. “One selection criterion requires a track record of contributing ‘significantly to the education of students, both undergraduate and graduate.’ His work with graduate students has led them to outstanding academic and industry placement, and his work with undergraduates has been just as impactful.”

The Evan Pugh Professorships are awarded to faculty members who are nationally or internationally recognized leaders in their fields of research or creative activity; demonstrate significant leadership in raising the standards of the University with respect to teaching, research or creativity, and service; display excellent teaching skills with undergraduate and graduate students who go on to achieve distinction in their fields; and receive support from colleagues who also are leaders in their disciplines. The professorships are named for Penn State’s founding president.