About me
I am Rim Hayat Chaif, a doctoral candidate in Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Kansas. My research focuses on the intersections of gender, health, and digital communication, with particular expertise in reproductive justice, feminist movements, and online advocacy.
Over the years, I have developed strong skills in computational methods, data mining, and multimodal analysis, which I use to study how digital platforms shape conversations about health and social justice. My work has been recognized with 13 academic awards spanning teaching, research, and collaborative scholarship.
Alongside my academic research, I bring professional experience in media writing and digital advocacy. I have taught university-level courses in media writing, research methods, and public speaking, where I strive to create inclusive, engaging, and skill-building learning environments.
Through both my scholarship and teaching, I aim to contribute to a better understanding of how digital media can be used to challenge inequality, support health communication, and amplify marginalized voices.
This site highlights my research projects, teaching experience, publications, and ongoing collaborations. Thank you for visiting, and I invite you to connect with me to explore opportunities for dialogue and collaboration.
This is me on the left with Dr. Finneman, when we received our first Best Paper Award for our co-authored work at AEJMC 2024.
My Story
I began my journey as a humanitarian journalist, documenting stories of resilience and injustice while working with marginalized communities. This early experience showed me the power of storytelling to inform, connect, and inspire action.
I then expanded my work into strategic communication and civic engagement with the Danish NGO Crossing Borders. There, I designed and facilitated cross-cultural projects that encouraged dialogue, collaboration, and active participation, helping young people and communities use communication as a tool for change.
Building on this foundation, I went on to work with human rights organizations and within refugee camps, where I witnessed firsthand the challenges of displacement and the importance of amplifying silenced voices. These experiences deepened my commitment to using communication not only as a means of research and teaching, but as a way to foster understanding and empowerment across borders.
Today, that commitment shapes my work as a scholar and educator in gender, health, and digital communication.
At the end of my Doctoral Research Fellowship with the Institute for Policy & Social Research (IPSR) at the University of Kansas, I presented a portion of my dissertation at the IPSR Doctoral Fellows Conference in April 2025.