Ramtin Ranjpour
Biography
Ramtin is an international student from Iran pursuing his PhD at the SOJC with a focus on the user experience (UX) of immersive media and AI. He earned his B.S. in computer engineering from San Diego State University in 2021 and his M.A. in communication and media studies from California State University—San Bernardino in 2024. His goals post-graduation are to work as a full-time UX researcher in a tech company and as a part-time college instructor.
Ramtin's array of research interests ranges from human-computer interaction (HCI), history and culture, educational technologies, and much more. He is a mixed-methods researcher and uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches. He has presented his research at conferences such as ACM's Design of Communication, User Experience Professionals Association, and Meaningful XR, among others.
Ramtin hopes to discover more effective ways of making extended reality (XR) platforms better through his UX research, using new tools such as conversational and generative AI to create more meaningful connections and enhanced experiences.
Education
Ph.D. in Communication and Media Studies, 2024 - Present
University of Oregon
Inside specialty: User experience of emerging media
Outside specialty: Applied data science
Advisor: Dr. Danny Pimentel
M.A. in Communication Studies, 2022 - 2024
California State University - San Bernardino
Specialties: Public relations and integrated marketing communications
Advisor: Dr. Theo Mazumdar
Master's Research Project: Empowering Change to Shape Tomorrow: An Integrated Marketing Communications Plan for the Building Wealth Initiative
B.S. in Computer Engineering, 2017 - 2021
San Diego State University
Specialty: Front-end web development
Research
Research Assistantships:
1× Dr. Danny Pimentel (Immersive Media)
1× Dr. Seth Lewis (Media & AI)
Publications
Lim, S., & Ranjpour, R. (in preparation). AI in advertising education: How to incorporate AI into teaching advertising and brand responsibility. Journal of Advertising Education.
Ramtin R. (2026). In search of meaningful user experiences in public relations: Assessing Google Gemini and Meta AI for stakeholder relations. Institute for Public Relations. https://instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/In-Search-of-Meaningful-Experiences-in-Public-Relations.pdf
Ranjpour, R., & Mitson, R. (2026). A UX-centered and AI-driven approach to professional development and reducing digital inequalities in Puerto Rico. Communicating SDGs in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-16800-9_15
Ranjpour, R. (2024). Empowering change to shape tomorrow: An integrated marketing communications plan for the Building Wealth Initiative. ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/2005
Ranjpour, R. (2024). The significant role of SEO in effective web marketing: A critical literature review. Association of Marketing Theory & Practice Proceedings, 23. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-proceedings_2024/23
Honors and Awards:
2026 Lucien P. Arant Memorial Scholarship, UO School of Journalism and Communication ($2,100)
2026 Glenn Starlin Endowed Fellowship, UO School of Journalism and Communication ($1,000)
2026 First Place Award, Onshore Hackathon by OceanX and Snap Spectacles
2026 Honoree, Webby Awards
2025 Glenn Starlin Endowed Fellowship, UO School of Journalism and Communication ($1,000)
2025 Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Fellowship, California State University (up to $18,500)
2025 Ketchum PRISM Fellowship, Institute for Public Relations ($3,500)
2024 Lorry I. Lokey Scholarship, UO School of Journalism and Communication ($5,000)
2024 Columbia Scholarship, UO School of Journalism and Communication ($4,000)
2024 Rising Star Scholarship, Public Relations Society of America—Inland Empire Chapter ($1,000)
2024 Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year, CSUSB College of Arts and Letters
2024 Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year, CSUSB Department of Communication & Media
2024 Outstanding Thesis/Project of the Year, CSUSB Department of Communication & Media
2024 International Student Honors Award, CSUSB College of Extended and Global Education
2023 Betsy A. Plank Award—Top Graduate Student Paper, Public Relations Society of America ($1,000)
2023 Distinguished Delegation Award, Model United Nations
2023 Presidential Scholarship, Phi Beta Delta Honor Society ($833)
2017 Millennium Scholarship, SDSU Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering ($15,187)
Teaching
Teaching Assistantships:
2× JCOM 370 (Public Relations Fundamentals)
2× JCOM 302 (Communication Law)
1× JCOM 476 (Social Media Strategy)
1× JCOM 202 (How Stories Work)
1× JCOM 101 (Media Professions)