To be successful in the media world, it is essential to be a lifelong learner, Boston University Professor James Katz told students at the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication on Sept. 18.

"It is a challenge to define yourself with three words, but I only need one word, that is, 'learner,'"said Professor Katz, the director of the Division of Emerging Media Studies at Boston University.

The guest speaker explained that he has continued to absorb knowledge and skills throughout an intellectual voyage that has included stops in American academia, the United States Senate and Bell Communications Research. To get the most out of life, Katz encouraged the students at TSJC to find a job they love and stick to it after graduation.

Professor Katz delivered his remarks in a lecture on the social consequences of emerging media. Tsinghua Journalism Professor Jin Jianbin hosted the lecture.

Prof. Katz, delivering the lecture

In the first section of his lecture, Professor Katz shared his career path and diverse work experiences. He described his research on communication technology, Internet use, mobile media and other technological changes. Returning to academia after stints in the private sector and government service, he has concentrated on emerging media studies and insights.

In the second section, he discussed with Professor Jin their research on the social impact of new media. Their dialogue covered the emerging-media concept, the emergence and impact of citizen journalism, social media use in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, cultural implications of selfies, the formation of a mobile-network society, and the application and future of artificial intelligence.

Prof. Jin Jianbin (left) and Prof. Katz

Professor Katz has devoted his career to analyzing the uses and social consequences of emerging communication technologies, especially the Internet and telephone. He has published several books and more than 70 peer-reviewed articles. He has won many awards for his scholarship, including the 2011 Ogburn career achievement award from the American Sociological Association and the 2009 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Twentieth Century Communications History. Professor Katz is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement Science. He has served as editor of Human Communication Research, a top-ranked journal in the field, and has been awarded fellowships at Harvard University, Princeton University and MIT.