Biography
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 (equivalent to an MBA) 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.
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.
Research Interests
Dr. Bhalla conducts research in strategic communication, focusing on international communication and corporate social responsibility. As a Page Legacy Scholar, she has presented over 40 peer-reviewed conference papers and has received numerous awards for her research.
Recently, she has been selected among five stellar women nationwide as part of the inaugural class of the 2026/27 AEJMC/Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Fellowship for the Empowerment of Early-Career Women in Communication Education. She joins this prestigious year-long program focused on mentorship, leadership, teaching pedagogy, research and scholarly productivity, and PF&R service. Her community-engaged project has also been selected for the 2026 AEJMC Mass Communication and Society Division’s Community-Engaged Learning Award. In 2024, She received Digital Ethnic Futures Consortium (DEFCon) Teaching Fellowship from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support her teaching.
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.
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.
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.
Recently, she has been selected among five stellar women nationwide as part of the inaugural class of the 2026/27 AEJMC/Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Fellowship for the Empowerment of Early-Career Women in Communication Education. She joins this prestigious year-long program focused on mentorship, leadership, teaching pedagogy, research and scholarly productivity, and PF&R service. Her community-engaged project has also been selected for the 2026 AEJMC Mass Communication and Society Division’s Community-Engaged Learning Award. In 2024, She received Digital Ethnic Futures Consortium (DEFCon) Teaching Fellowship from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support her teaching.
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.
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.
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.
Teaching Interests
- Foundations of PR Writing
- Advanced PR Writing
- PR research and theories
- Diversity in PR
- International PR
- PR Research