Dongqing Xu is an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising/Public Relations in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Miami and joined Penn State in 2026.
Her research focuses on ethical approaches to strategic communication, public relations, and crisis and risk communication. She examines how organizations navigate complex and challenging conversations, including crisis management, sociopolitical advocacy and pro-social initiatives. Her work also explores how stakeholder groups influence one another and how organizations can incorporate these dynamics into ethical communication practices.
Her research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, International Journal of Business Communication, and International Journal of Strategic Communication. Her scholarship has received recognition through top paper awards from multiple academic associations, including the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Besides her research, she teaches courses in related areas of strategic communication and is committed to preparing the next generation of communication professionals and scholars. She is also active in serving the academic community through editorial and peer-review service for academic journals, as well as committee service with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
