Faculty Profile for Dr. Nandini Bhalla

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Born and raised in Delhi, India, Dr. Nandini Bhalla is a distinguished scholar in mass communication. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina, where she developed a deep understanding of media dynamics and communication strategies. Before pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Bhalla completed a BSc. (H) in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. She then earned an MA in Mass Communication from the Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication with a specialization in Public Relations from Indira Gandhi National Open University, also in Delhi. Additionally, she holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management with a focus on Marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Distance Learning, Pune, India.
With seven years of experience in media and communications in India, Dr. Bhalla has worked as both a journalist and a public relations consultant in various government and private organizations. Her diverse educational background and extensive professional experience make her a valuable asset in the field of mass communication.

Teaching Interests

- Foundations of PR Writing
- Advanced PR Writing
- PR research and theories
- Diversity in PR
- International PR
- PR Research

Research Interests

Dr. Bhalla conducts research in strategic communication, focusing on international communication and corporate social responsibility, with an emphasis on social issues such as diversity and environmental activism. As a Page Legacy Scholar, she has presented over 35 peer-reviewed conference papers and has received numerous awards for her research.
In 2018, Dr. Bhalla was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Inez Kaiser Graduate Students of Color Award from the Public Relations Division of AEJMC, the Moeller Student Competition Award from the Mass Comm & Society Division, two Top Paper awards from the Magazine Division, Kappa Tau Alpha, and the Visual Communications Division, as well as the Peter Debreceny Corporate Communication Award at IPRRC. She also secured two highly competitive grants to support her dissertation on environmental issues and CSR: one from the University of South Carolina and a Page Legacy Scholar Grant from the Arthur W. Page Center.
In 2020, Dr. Bhalla received the Doug Newsom Award for Global Ethics and Diversity from the Public Relations Division of AEJMC, the American University Top Diversity & Inclusion Award from PRSA Educators Academy, and the NCA Spiritual Communication Top Book Chapter Award.
Her research has been published in various esteemed journals, including Public Relations Review, International Journal of Strategic Communication, International Journal of Communication, Journal of Communication Inquiry, and Corporate Communications: An International Journal.