faculty

Paul Mena, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
(805) 565-6195

Office Location

Deane Hall 107B

Office Available

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:10-10:20, 1:15-1:50 and by appointment.

Specialization(s)

Journalism, Misinformation, Fact-Checking, Media and Mass Communication, Media Ethics

Research Interests
  • Credibility and sharing of misinformation on social media
  • Fact-checking and social media warning labels
  • Emerging issues in journalism
Biography/Details

Dr. Paul Mena earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Florida. His research has been published in Journalism, Journalism Practice, Social Media + Society, Policy & Internet, and Media and Communication. As a Fulbright scholar, he obtained his master's degree in Mass Communications and Journalism Studies at the University of South Florida. Before joining the Westmont faculty, he taught at the University of California Santa Barbara for four years. He worked as a professional journalist in Ecuador for around 18 years, reporting for BBC News Mundo, El Pais (Spain), and Ecuadorian media.

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