Maurice Emelu
Associate Professor
Background
Maurice N. Emelu is an Associate Professor of Communication (Digital Media) and Director of the MS in Digital Marketing and Communication Strategy in the Tim Russert Department of Communication at John Carroll University. An interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner, his work brings together digital media, generative AI literacy, human-centered technology design, communication pedagogy, theological aesthetics and digital religion, and formation-based ethics to examine how evolving digital platforms shape human meaning, learning, and community life.
Reverend Dr. Emelu directs the Emelu Lab, an interdisciplinary research group specializing in the ethics of AI and digital storytelling. The lab’s current high-impact initiatives include DEMAI (Digital Ethics, Media Analysis & AI Integrity), a student-centered project that trains emerging media professionals to detect misinformation, deepfakes, and algorithmic bias, alongside a major project analyzing the framing of mass shooting narratives on digital platforms.
Dr. Emelu is also the founder and designer of EnKrist, an innovative social-technology platform that uses computational design to support ritual communication and values-driven digital engagement. Its prototype earned the Harvard University Dean’s Prize for Outstanding ALM Capstone Project, recognizing excellence in design, research, and technological imagination.
A leader in AI-integrated curriculum development, Dr. Emelu mentors undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines in digital storytelling, applied media research, and film documentary. His work advances scholarship at the intersection of media innovation, ethics, and digital culture while contributing to JCU’s mission of forming reflective, ethically grounded communicators for a rapidly evolving technological world.
Areas of Expertise
- Mixed-Methods Research
Frame Analysis
Digital and AI Ethics
Church Communication (Digital media and Evangelization)
Brand storytelling
AI Literacy - Synthetic Media
- and Algorithmic Influence
Digital and Computational Design
Research Interests
Dr. Emelu’s work explores how digital media and AI shape human meaning, storytelling, ethics, and public understanding. His research integrates six interconnected areas:
- Digital storytelling and narrative impact in social and digital environments.
- AI literacy, synthetic media, and algorithmic influence on communication and culture.
- Digital ethics, formation-based models, and theological aesthetics for responsible media use.
- Digital religion and religious communication
- Media framing and platform-driven narratives, including research on mass shooting stories.
- Computational design and creative innovation, exemplified in the award-winning EnKrist prototype and documentary production.
Across these areas, he leads interdisciplinary teams through the Emelu Lab, advancing scholarship at the intersection of narrative, technology, ethics, and human-centered design.
Education
Ph.D., Theology (Theology and Media), Liverpool Hope University, UK,
ALM., Digital Design (Information Technology), Harvard University, USA
M.A., Communication Management, John Carroll University, USA
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, International Institute of Journalism
B.A., Religious Studies, Imo State University, Nigeria
S.T.B., Theology, Pontifical Urban University, Rome / Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Nigeria
Ph.B.., Philosophy, Pontifical Urban University, Rome / Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Nigeria
Certifications
Executive Leadership Certificate, Cornell University
High Performance Leadership Certificate, Cornell University
Cultural Orientation for International Ministers Certificate, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
Courses Taught
Speech Communication (COM 125)Communication, Technology and Society (COM 1401)
Introduction to Digital Media (COM 2552)
Media Writing (COM 3602)/Writing & Storytelling for Digital Platforms (COM 3602)
Advanced Digital Video Editing (lab) (COM 3483)
Undergraduate Communication Research A (COM 3991)
Undergraduate Communication Research B (COM 3992)
Undergraduate Communication Research C (COM 3993)
Media Theory (COM 4552)
Independent Study (COM 4498)
Creator Economy: Social Media Strategy & Monetization (COM 4510)
Brand Storytelling Through Content (COM 5120)
MS in Digital Marketing and Communication Strategy Capstone (COM 5300)
