Howdy! I’m Aaron Pope, a PhD Fellow in Social Data Science at the University of Copenhagen. My research explores how online information influences people’s knowledge and attitudes, with a focus on video-based and algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. I’m especially interested in combining surveys with digital trace data to better understand the media people actually consume online. While my work spans multiple disciplines, it draws from Political Science, Communication Studies, and Data Science.

Before beginning my PhD, I was a researcher at NYU’s Center for Social Media and Politics (CSMaP), where I’m still a Graduate Research Affiliate. At CSMaP, I managed the Bilingual Election Monitor, which combined survey and digital trace data to study online media consumption and misinformation beliefs among U.S.-based Latinos. My circuitous road to research included stops at an arts non-profit, the New York Public Library, as a research assistant studying sex and theology, and the Iowa State Senate. I hold an MPA from NYU, where I concentrated on Public Policy, and a Bachelor’s in Literary Studies (Medieval literature) from The New School.

Outside of research, I enjoy art, live music, bouldering, and competitive pool. Drop me an email if you want to talk about social media – or play a game of 9-ball.