Nicole Smith Dahmen

Nicole Smith Dahmen is a Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Dahmen has gained a national and international reputation for her scholarship, which falls into three key areas, sometimes standing alone but more frequently intersecting: visual journalism, media ethics, and contextual reporting. She approaches her scholarship through a normative lens, asking not just what journalism is, but what it should be. Her research often illuminates journalism’s shortcomings, not to criticize unjustly, but to advocate for the principles of professional, credible, and ethical journalism in a democracy. In sum, her research seeks to advance public-interest journalism—reporting that holds the powerful accountable, elevates underrepresented voices, and makes a positive impact in society.