Mass Communications

Dr. Alex P. Leith (he/they)

Office Phone: (618) 650-2245
Email: aleith@siue.edu
Twitter: @APLeith
LinkedIn: @APLeith
GitHub: @APLeith

Curriculum Vitae

About

My research examines online communities and their relationship with content creators. I began with qualitative research methods while completing my master's degree in Speech Communication here at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. While completing my Ph.D., I began exploring methods for upscaling qualitative methods to computational analysis. My primary research utilizes the machine learning practice of natural language processing to explore livestream chats. I was hired into the Mass Communications department to teach media analytics and design courses, as well as building new courses. My interests include video games and representations of mental health, gender, race, and LGBTQ online.

Education

Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
M.A., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL
B.A., Brigham Young University Idaho, Rexburg, ID

Research Interests

Social media, interactive platforms, livestreaming, parasocial relationships

Selected Research

Peer-Reviewed Journals

Foxman, M., Beyea, D., Leith, A.P., Ratan, R. A., Chen, V. H. H., & Klebig, B. (2022). Beyond genre: Classifying virtual reality experiences. IEEE Transactions on Games, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1109/TG.2021.3119521

Leith, A.P., & Gheen, E.* (2022). Twitch in the time of quarantine: The role of engagement in needs fulfillment. Psychology of Popular Media, 11(3), 275-280. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000372

Leith, A.P. (2021). Parasocial cues: The ubiquity of parasocial relationships on Twitch. Communication Monographs, 88, 111-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2020.1868544

Conference Proceedings

Lim, C.*, Leith, A.P., Foxman, M., Ratan, R., Klebig, B. (2025, January) The Hyperpersonal Model of Communication in virtual meetings: Exploring the roles of fatigue, social interaction anxiety, muting, and avatar use in meeting engagement. To be published in Proceedings of the 58th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

Milik, O., Jang, D.*, Foxman, M., Klebig, B., Bayea, D., Leith, A.P., Ratan, R. (2024, November). Focusing on virtual groups. A method for focus group interviews in XR/VR group settings. To be published in AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research, 2024.

Foxman, M., Bouzek. D.*, Lim, C.*, Ratan, R., Klebig, B., Leith, A.P., & Beyea, D. (2024, July) Making a virtual playground: Values-based game design in meeting platforms. 2024: Abstract Proceedings of DiGRA 2024 Conference: Playgrounds.

Lim, C.*, Foxman, M., Leith, A.P., Meshi, D., Ratan, R. (2024, July) Wanting playfulness to counter fatigue from virtual meetings: Associations with social interaction anxiety and workaholism. 2024: Abstract Proceedings of DiGRA 2024 Conference: Playgrounds.

Foxman, M., Bouzek, D.*, Ratan, R., Leith, A.P. (2023, June). Virtually Limited: Boundaries of Play in Virtual Reality Production. 2023: Abstract Proceedings of DiGRA 2023 Conference: Limits and Margins of Games.

Leith, A.P. Foxman, M., Onuche, M.*, Ratan, R., & Lim, C.* (2023, June). Mixed Feelings and Realities: Joyful to Nauseating Sentiments about VR on Twitter. 2023: Abstract Proceedings of DiGRA 2023 Conference: Limits and Margins of Games.

Foxman, M., Leith, A.P., Beyea, D., Klebig, B., Chen, V. H. H., & Ratan, R. (2020). Virtual reality genres: Comparing preferences in immersive experiences and games. CHI PLAY '20: Extended Abstracts of the 2020 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 237-241). ACM Digital Library. https://doi.org/10.1145/3383668.3419881

* signifies SIUE student author

Grants

External

2021-2025: $1,599,851 - FW-HTF-R: Collaborative Research: Virtual Meeting Support for Enhanced Well-Being and Equity for Game Developers. Ratan, R. A., Foxwell, M., Leith, A.P., Beyea, D., and Winn, B.

Internal

2023-2024: $6,300 – OER Adoption, Adaptation, and Implementation Incentive Program. Leith, A.P.
2021-2022: $2,000 – New Faculty Incentive Program. Leith, A.P.

Courses Taught

FST 101: Succeeding & Engaging at SIUE
MC 323: Digital Publishing and Design
MC 327: Design and Writing for the World Wide Web
MC 451: Research Methods of Mass Media
MC 471: Special Topics in Mass Media: Introduction to Data Analytics in Journalism
MC 590: Independent Study in Mass Communications