The award recognizes scholars who have made a significant contribution to the understanding of communication. Established in 1991, it honors Professor Emeritus Wayne Danielson for his contributions to the Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, and the field of communication.
Dr. Wardle gave the Danielson Award Lecture, titled “Do Your Own Research (#DYOR): Understanding the Causes and Potential Responses to Misinformation through Participatory Networks.” The talk focused on the participatory characteristics of disinformation ecosystems, those that make people feel heard, part of a movement, and ultimately provide a sense of agency. In comparison, quality information ecosystems remain top-down, linear and hierarchical, based on communication practices that worked 30 years ago, but consistently fail in the context of our contemporary weaponized information environments.