Dr. Jian (Jay) Wang is the former director of the Public Diplomacy Program and an associate professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He combines a rich background in international consulting with extensive research on the communication dynamics of globalization. He has authored several books, including Shaping China’s Global Imagination: Nation Branding at the World Expo, and co-edited Debating Public Diplomacy: Now and Next. His research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Communication, Journal of Broadcast & Electronic Media, Management Communication Quarterly, Public Relations Review, and Place Branding & Public Diplomacy. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Communication.

As a leader in global public diplomacy scholarship and practice, Wang has developed innovative, policy-relevant programs on topics such as soft power in global affairs, U.S. public diplomacy, digital advocacy, and the performance and evaluation of public diplomacy. He has served as the director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, where he has forged successful research and programming partnerships with organizations, including the BBC, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the European Union Delegation to the U.S., Global Affairs Canada, Global Ties U.S., the Japan Foundation, the Korea Foundation, NATO, Pew Research Center, the United Nations Foundation and the U.S. Department of State.

Wang has been instrumental in creating professional training programs that address the evolving needs of the field, focusing on essential skills such as AI and data-driven public diplomacy, storytelling for public diplomacy, and strategic evaluation.

Prior to joining USC, Wang taught at Purdue University and worked with the international consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he provided strategic communication advice across various industries and sectors.