Hepeng Jia Professor

Aug. 2013 – Aug. 2019: PhD majoredin science communication, Graduate Field of Communication, Cornell University

Aug. 2012 – May 2013: PhD student in public policy(focused on science policy), John Glenn School of Public Affairs, Ohio State University 

Sept. 1996 - Jul. 1999: Institute of Humanities, Tsinghua University, Beijing,

Master of Arts majored in intellectual history

Sept. 1990 - Jul. 1994: International Journalism Department, University (Institute) of International Relations, Beijing, graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Jul. 1994

Nov. 2019 – Now: Professor of Science Communication, School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou, China

Jun. 2019 – Now: Freelancer, Writing for Nature, Nature Index, Chemical & Engineering News, etc.  

Jan. 2019 – May 2019: TA, Environment and ethics, Department of Science & Technology Studies, Cornell University

Aug. 2018 – Dec. 2018: Instructor, Risk Communication, Department of Communication, Cornell University

Aug. 2013 – May 2018: Teaching assistant, serving Communication case studies, Science, health and risk communication, Communication and technology, Visual communication (partly teach), Media and communication, New media and society, and Persuasion and social influence in Department of Communication, Cornell University     

Aug. 2012 – May 2013: Research fellow, Battelle Center for Science & Technology Policy, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, the Ohio State University

Aug. 2011 – May 2012: Knight Fellow of Science Journalism, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jan. 2011 – June. 2011: Assistant president, Science Times Group (now China Science Daily Group, affiliated to Chinese Academy of Science)

Sept. 2008 – Jan. 2011: Founder and editor-in-chief, Science News Magazine, published by Chinese Academy of Science

Mar. 2007 – Dec. 2011: China Correspondent, Chemistry World

Jun. 2005 – Dec. 2008: China editor & coordinator, UK-basedScience and Development Network (SciDev.Net)

March 2003 – present:Freelancing writer to Science, Nature and Nature Journals (particularly Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, and Nature Drug Discovery)

Feb.1999 –Mar. 2007: Generalist reporter and editor, and science reporter and editor, China Daily

Aug. 1994 – Sept. 1996: Translator, Inner Mongolian provincial government & Inner Mongolian Long’an Trade Co (belonging to Inner Mongolian provincial government, responsible for operating telecommunication)

Hepeng Jia is a professor of science communication at Soochow University, Suzhou, China. Having a doctoral degree from Cornell University, he has been a pioneer in science journalism and science communication in China. His current primary interest is to investigate the role of nationalism/collective cultural factors in shaping people’s health and risk behaviors, scientists’ communication activities and research institutions’ capacity building in science communication, and scientific controversies.

He was the founder and former editor-in-chief of Science News Magazine published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and has organized 50 science journalism and communication workshops, training more than 2,000 Chinese journalists in science and environmental reporting.

In 2023, Professor Jia was endowed Jiangsu Award of Innovation (Cultural Innovation) by Jiangsu Provincial Government. He was the recipient of the 2021 Annual University Award for Humanities and Social Sciences at Soochow University. He received China’s National Award for Science Popularization in 2010 and Purdue University’s Science Journalism Laureate in 2011. Between 2007 and 2011, he was an executive board member of the World Federation of Science Journalists. Since June 2005, he has worked as SciDev.Net's regional coordinator for China. He also freelances for Nature and Nature journals, Chemical & Engineering News, and Chemistry World.

Hepeng Jia (he/him/his) is a professor of science communication and journalism at Soochow University, Suzhou, China, and a senior science journalist. Having a doctoral degree from Cornell University, he has pioneered science journalism and communication in China. Since joining Soochow University in 2019, he has developed a nationally leading research team of nine faculty members in science communication and science journalism.  Professor Jia has published over 60 science communication and science journalism papers published in leading international and Chinese journals.  

Professor Jia’s primary academic interest is to investigate the role of collective culture in shaping people’s health and risk behaviors, scientists’ communication activities, scientists-media relationships, research institutions’ capacity building in science communication, and scientific controversies. His recent book Science in Movements Knowledge Control and Social Contestation in China’s Hydropower, GMO and Nuclear Controversies (Routledge, 2021) results from this last intellectual effort. The book examines science controversies from the perspectives of communication studies, STS, and social movements. Most recently, Professor Jia also worked to use insights from scholarly science communication research to form tutorial guides for science journalists.    

Investigative journalism (Bachelor level, Spring semester)

Science Communication Research (Doctor level, Spring semester)

Journalism & Communication Theories (Master level, Fall semester)

Major academic publications in SCI/SSCI-indexed journals in English:

Jia， H. (2020). Research ethics: a safeguard for advanced technologies. National Science Review， 7(11)， 1787-1792. doi:10.1093/nsr/nwz133 (Impact Factor: 16.7; SCI综合科学类刊物一区).  

Jia， H. (2020). Yi Zeng: promoting good governance of artificial intelligence. National Science Review. doi:10.1093/nsr/nwaa255

Jia, H., Shi, L., & Wang, D. (2018). Passive communicators: Investigating the interaction of Chinese scientists with the media. Science Bulletin, 63(7), 402-404. doi:10.1016/j.scib.2018.03.001

Jia, H., Wang, D., Miao, W., & Zhu, H. (2017). Encountered but Not Engaged: Examining the Use of Social Media for Science Communication by Chinese Scientists. Science Communication, 39(5), 646-672. doi: 10.1177/1075547017735114.

Jia, H., Miao, W., Zhang, Z. a., & Cao, Y. (2016). Road to international publications: an empirical study of Chinese communication scholars. Asian Journal of Communication, 27(2), 172-192

Jia, H. & Liu, L. (2014) “Unbalanced progress: the hard road from science popularization to public engagement in china,” Public Understanding of Science, 23(1), 32-37.

Jia, H. (2004).Three represents campaign: Reform the Party, or indoctrinate capitalists?” The Cato Journal, 24(3), 261—275.

Major academic publications in Chinese:

Books:

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2012). Route and Methods of Science Communication. Beijing: Beijing Institute of Technology Press. (in Chinese).

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2012). Reporting Agricultural Biotechnology. Beijing: Croplife China. (in Chinese).

Jia, H. & Zhang, Z. (2011). Professional Reporting of Global Issues – Practical Climate Change Journalism. Guangzhou: Nanfang Daily Press.(in Chinese).  

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2011). Science in Controversies. Beijing: Popular Science Press.(in Chinese).

Jia, H., Mo, Y. (2007). Effective Science Communication in the Era of   Globalization. Beijing: Science Popular Press. (in Chinese).

Selected papers in Chinese peer-reviewed and professional journals:

Zhang, R., Yan, J., Jia, H.*(Corresponding author), Luo, X., Lin, J., & Liu, Q. (2023). Nationalism, conspiracy theories and vaccine mandates: Exploring the statism determinants for attitudes to COVID-19 control in China. Vaccine: X, 13, 100263. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvacx.2023.100263

Zhang, R., Yan, J., Jia, H.*(Corresponding author), Luo, X., Liu, Q., & Lin, J. (2023). Policy Endorsement and Booster Shot: Exploring Politicized Determinants for Acceptance of a Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine in China. Vaccines, 11(2), 421. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/2/421

Pan, Y., Xie, Y., & Jia, H.*(Corresponding author) (2022). Lower Carbon, Stronger Nation: Exploring Sociopolitical Determinants for Chinese Public’s Climate Attitudes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 2124604. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18192124604

Pan, Y., Xie, Y., & Jia, H.*(Corresponding author) (2022). Ideologies, Conspiracy Beliefs, and Chinese Public’s Politicized Attitudes to Climate Change. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14, 2065569. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13192065569

Jia, H. (2022). More engagement but less participation: China’s alternative approach to public communication of science and technology. Public Understanding of Science, 31(3), 331-339.

Yang, Z., Luo, X., Jia, H., Xie, Y., & Zhang, R. (2022). Personal Narrative under Nationalism: Chinese COVID-19 Vaccination Expressions on Douyin. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 12553. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912553

Hu, M., Jia, H.*(Corresponding author), & Xie, Y. (2021). Passport to a Mighty Nation: Exploring Sociocultural Foundation of Chinese Public’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccine Certificates. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10439. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910439

Yang, Z., Luo, X.*(Corresponding author), & Jia, H. (2021). Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID‐19 Vaccination. Vaccines, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9101051

Jia, H. (2021). Science in Movements Knowledge-Control and Social Contestation in China’s Hydropower, GMO and Nuclear Controversies. Routledge.

Jia, H., & Luo, X. (2021). I Wear a Mask for My Country: Conspiracy Theories, Nationalism, and Intention to Adopt COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors at the Later Stage of Pandemic Control in China. Health Communication, doi: 10.1080/10410236.2021.1958982.

Jia, H., Jiang, X., Wang, D., & Miao, W. (2021). Lure of Connectivity: Exploring US and Chinese Scientists’ Use of Social Media to Address the Public (Chapter 9). In G. Yang & W. Wang (Eds.), Engaging SocialMedia in China: Platforms, Publics, and Production (pp. 201-224). Michigan State University Press.

Luo, X., & Jia, H.*(Corresponding author) (2021). When scientific literacy meets nationalism: Exploring the underlying factors in the Chinese public’s belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Chinese Journal of Communication, 14, https://doi.org/10.1080/17544750.2021.1954963

Jia, H., & Wang, D. (2020). Science reporting as constructive journalism——Examining online celebrity scientists’ science communication. Contemporary Communication, (02), 50-55 (In Chinese).

Jia, H. (2020). Can knowledge change public attitude to GM Foods——Exploring attitudal polarization in controversial science. The Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University (Social Science Edition),   (01):140-147.

Deng, L., & Jia, H. (2019). The potentials and limits of stakeholder contestation as macro deliberation: A case study on Wangjiang Four Seniors’ contention of Jiangxi Pengze nuclear power project, China. Communication & Society, 49, 141–174. Url: http://www.cschinese.com/issueArticle.asp?P_No=80&CA_ID=609

Wang, D., Jia, H., Wu, O., & Zhong, Q. (2018). New momentum of science communication on social media era——Investigating “online celebrity” scientists. Shanghai Journalism Review, (10), 47-56. (In Chinese).

Miao, W., Jia, H., & Zhang, Z. a. (2018). Why have Chinese authors lacked concerns about indigenous issues? ——A reflection on international publication in journalism and communication studies. Journalism Bimonthly, (4), 72-77. (In Chinese).

Jia, H. (2017). The power of details and science: Key elements in climate change reporting. Cai Xie Bian (Interview, Reporting and Editing). (1): 101-107. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Miao, W., & Zhang, Z. (2017). International publication and collaboration of Chinese communication research in 201udies 2016. Beijing: Social Sciences Press. Forthcoming. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Yan, J. (2017). Origin and reform of science communication and chances for China. Journalism & Communication, 24(2): 68-80. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Miao, W. (2017). Theoretical origins of science communication, risk communication and health communication and their inspirations to Chinese communication studies. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication, 39(2): 66-89. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Yan, J. (2016). The theoretical development of science communication and chances for China in 2014. In CASS Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication (eds.) Annual Review of Journalism & Communication Studies 2015. Beijing: Social Sciences Press.170-182. (In Chinese)

Zhang, Z., Jia, H. (2016). International publication and collaboration of Chinese communication research in 2014. In CASS Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication (eds.) Annual Review of Journalism & Communication Studiesb 2015. Beijing: Social Sciences Press. 297-307. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Fan, J. (2016). Why does the public reject scientists in GMO issues. Journal of Dialectics of Nature, 38 (2): 7—13. (In Chinese)

Wang, D., Zhong, Q., & Jia, H. (2015). Science communication: From popularization to public engagement with science – Analyzing the debate between Cui Yongyuan and Lu Daru on GMO. Shanghai Journalism Review, (6), 12-18. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Miao, W. (2015). Public engagement with science and principles for solutions to scientific controversies. China Soft Science Magazine, 36(5): 56-64. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. Wang, D., Yang, L., & Wang, Y. (2015). Collaboration between media and science journals in science communication system, Chinese Journal of Scientific and Technical Periodicals,26(5): 445-450. (In Chinese)

Fan, J., Jia, H. (2015). Polarization and solidification: Difficulties of GMO communication and path selection.China Biotechnology, 36(6): 124-130. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Zhang, Z. (2015). International publication of communication and local questions—A bibliometrics study on SSCI journals, Journalism Quarterly (now Journalism Bimonthly), (3): 10-16. (In Chinese)

Zhang, Z. & Jia, H. (2015). Status and pattern of China’s international publication of communication and journalism studies, Journalism & Communication, 22(5): 5-18. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Jin, J. (2015). The tension and cohesion between citizen journalists and science reporting. Shanghai Journalism Review, (5): 12-18. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. Liu, L., Wang, D., & Ren, J. (2015). Science of science communication. Study on the Science of Science, 33(3): 330-336. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Fan, J. & Yan, J. (2015). The interaction between knowledge, trust and value in risk communication – Taking the example of GMO controversy in China, Contemporary Communication, (03): 99—101. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. Wang, D., & Yan, J., (2015). Can medialization of science change scientific procedure. Chinese Journal of Scientific and Technical Periodicals,(2): 25-27. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Yan, J. (2015). Social construction of science controversies—A systematic Comparison between three research routes. Science & Society, 5(1): 91-104. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Fan, J. (2015). Why genetically modified crops are resisted—— A systematic review of science communication studies. Studies on Science Popularization, 10(1): 83-92. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2014). Who is the public, how to engage, and what is consensus: A reflection on public engagement of science. Studies in Dialectics of Nature, 30(11): 55-60. (In Chinese)

Miao, W., & Jia, H. (2014). Media framing of genetically modified food in social media: A case study based on Youtube website. Science on Science Popularization, 9(5): 14—23. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., Fan, J., & Peng, G. (2014). Public engagement of science and social media’s challenges to science communication. Studies on Science Popularization, 9 (2): 11—19. (In Chinese)

Fan, J., Jia, H., Zhang, F., & Peng, G. (2013). A study on scientific controversies in social media – Genetically modified golden rice communication in Chinese Weibo. Journalism & Communication, 20 (11): 106—116. (In Chinese)

Fan, J., & Jia, H. (2013). The GM corn carcinogenic study and the proper reasoning on controversial research. Chinese Bulletin of Life Science, 25(6): 552—559. (In Chinese)

Fan, J., Jia, H., (2013). The Analysis of cultural factorsin impeding GMO communication in China.China Biotechnology, 33(6): 138—144.(In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (2011). Internationally leading universities’ approaches to cultivating students’ science communication capacity. Studies on Science Popularization, 6(6): 22—27. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2010). Analysis watchdog role of journalists in science-related controversies. Young Journalists,October (19): 66—67. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. & Liu, Z. (2009). The separation of propaganda about science research and mass media: quantitative and qualitative analysis of science institutions in China. Studies on Science Popularization, 4(1): 17—23. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2008). Approaches to reporting climate change.Journalism Practice, 25 (October), 5—8. (In Chinese)

Jia, H., & Zhao, Y. (2008) Approaches to bridge science journals and mass media.Chinese Journal of Scientific and Technical Periodicals,19(4): 641-644.(In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2008) How to scientifically report scientific questions in earthquakes.Young Journalist, September (No 18): 47—49. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2007). Climate change, science communication and public engagement. Studies on Science Popularization, 3 (3): 39—45. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (2003). R. G. Collingwood's idea of progress. Historiography Quarterly, 12(2): 120—129. (In Chinese)

Jia, H. (1999). Hume's criticism and reconstruction of deism.Inner Mongolian Social Science, (2): 7—12. (In Chinese)

Major academic books in English:

Jia, H. (2021). Science in Movements Knowledge-Control and Social Contestation in China’s Hydropower, GMO and Nuclear Controversies. Routledge.

Major academic books in Chinese:

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2012). Route and Methods of Science Communication. Beijing: Beijing Institute of Technology Press. (in Chinese).

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2012). Reporting Agricultural Biotechnology. Beijing: Croplife China. (in Chinese).

Jia, H. & Zhang, Z. (2011). Professional Reporting of Global Issues – Practical Climate Change Journalism. Guangzhou: Nanfang Daily Press.(in Chinese).  

Jia, H. & Tan, Y. (eds.) (2011). Science in Controversies. Beijing: Popular Science Press.(in Chinese).

Jia, H., Mo, Y. (2007). Effective Science Communication in the Era of   Globalization. Beijing: Science Popular Press. (in Chinese).

2023 Jiangsu Award of Innovation (Cultural Innovation), Jiangsu Provincial Government, 2023

2021 Annual University Award for Humanities and Social Sciences, Soochow University, 2022  

2017 Annual Best Paper, Journalism & Communication, Beijing, China 

2016 Field Study Fellowship, East Asian Program, Cornell University (US$13,000).

2011Science Journalism Laureate: Awarded by Purdue University.  http://www.purdue.edu/sjl/laureates/index.html, the first such award given to an Asian science journalism practitioner

2010 China National Award in Science Popularization, jointly endowed by Ministry of S&T, China Association for S&T and China’s Central Department of Publicity

Executive Board Member (representing Asia), World Federation of Science Journalists (July 2009-July 2011, April 2007 –June 2009)

Asian Winner of the 2006 Reuters IUCN Media Awards for Excellence in Environmental Reporting (Going Against the Flow, Science magazine, 2006 Vol. 313, 25 August, 1034—1037)