Meet our faculty & sessional instructors

Dr. Sumin Fang joins the Department of Communications as an Assistant Professor with professional, research, and teaching experiences in strategic communication and public relations. She managed the international relations of a university for three years. Sumin has published on new technology, public engagement, and social media in the Journal of Science Communication and Mobile Media and Communication and presented her research at the International Communication Association (ICA), Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), and International Crisis and Risk Communication (ICRC) conferences. 

Before joining UFV, Sumin taught courses on communication, social media, and public relations for five years at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). At UMD, she received two teaching awards, Most Valuable Professor in 2017 and 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award. She speaks four languages and has studied and worked in China, Australia, Canada, and the United States. 

• Ph.D. Strategic Communication and Public Relations, University of Maryland, College Park (2020)
• M.A. Education, University of British Columbia (2015)
• M.A. Communication Studies, Soochow University (2008)

• Director of the PRestige Awards program,  Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Vancouver Branch. 
• Voting member, Research Senate of the UFV.
• Member, Social Committee of the Faculty and Staff Association (FSA), UFV.
• Chair, Marketing Committee of the Communications Department.
• Member, Continuing Education (CE) Committee of the Communications Department.

• Professional communication
• Public relations and strategic communication
• Social media and digital marketing
• Intercultural communication
• Organizational communication

• Mobile fitness technology and user experiences
• Public engagement and relationship management
• Social media management

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada, ($75,000), Insight Development Grant, 2022-2024. Principle Investigator. Topic: Government's Best Practices for Evacuation Communication in Canada.

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), ($4,000), Faculty/Student Research and Scholarly Activity Fund, 2021-2022. Principle Investigator. Topic: A Case Study of a Crowdsourcing Campaign with an NGO.

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), ($5,920), Accelerate Research Fund (ARF), 2021-2022. Principle Investigator. Topic: Message Testing in Crowdsourcing Campaigns.

Fang, S. (2022, July). How to engage users in mobile fitness technology-mediated crowdsourcing communities: A relationship management perspective. Presented at the Communicating Science for a Better Post-COVID World – An IAMCR Pre-Conference, Suzhou,China.

Kim, J., & Fang, S. (2019, August). Trust in scientists matters: modeling the influence of public’s trust on their GMO food consumption. Presented in the 2019 conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Toronto, Canada.

Fang, S. (2019, March). What do you recommend KFC to do? A case study of public relations professionals’ views on the KFC’s Quick Chicken Crisis in China. Paper to be presented at the International Crisis and Risk Communication (ICRC) Conference, Orlando, Florida.

Fang, S. (2019, March). People’s enemies or friends? Chinese public relations practitioners’ perceptions of nationalistic crises against multinational corporations in the Chinese market. Paper to be presented at the International Crisis and Risk Communication (ICRC) Conference, Orlando, Florida.

Fang, S., & Gong, H. (2018, May). Do we really want to chat with our parents after “friending” them on social media: Insights from Chinese university students. Paper presented at the 68th International Communication Association (ICA) conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

Fang, S. (2018, April). Why do people using “KEEP”: A qualitative study on usage of smartphone fitness application and physical adherence. Paper presented at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication (KCHC), Lexington, Kentucky.

Fang, S. (2018, March). Why do you not trust your doctors? A qualitative study on the cultural perspectives in the risks of conflicts between Chinese patients and doctors. Paper presented at the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference (ICRCC), Orlando, Florida.

Fang, S. (2017, April). A qualitative study on Chinese senior people’s health literacy and their doctor-patient communication. Paper presented at the DC Health Communication Conference (DCHC), George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Fang, S., & Duff, P. A. (2016, April). Constructing identities and ideologies with Chinese popular culture in adult Mandarin learning and socialization. Paper presented at the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2016 Conference, Orlando, FL.

Fang, S. (2015, April). Appropriate emotions for intercultural communication: A text analysis of two foreign language textbooks. Paper presented at 27th North American Conference on Chinese Linguistics (NACCL), UCLA, CA.

Fang, S., & Aldoory, L. (2021). Acquaintance, coach, or buddy? Perceived relationships between Chinese women and mobile fitness technology. Communication Studies, 72(6), 1089-1111. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.2011351

Kim.J. & Fang, S. (2020). Decision to choose genetically modified foods: How do people's perceptions of science of scientists affect their choices. Journal of Science Communication, 19(2), A01. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19020201

Fang, S., & Gong, H. (2019). What happens after young adults’ “friending” of parents? A qualitative study about mediated family communication and privacy management in China. Mobile Media and Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050157919879730

Fang, S. & Duff, P. A. (2018). Constructing identities and ideologies with Chinese popular culture in adult Mandarin learning and socialization. Global Chinese, 4(1), 37-61. https://doi.org/10.1515/glochi-2018-0003