Dr. Paul Koomson

Assistant Professor of Communication

Bio

Dr. Koomson is a teacher, interdisciplinary researcher, and strategic communicator. He has 20 years of experience in integrated marketing communications and media practice, as well as consulting. He has worked as a team lead on multiple national and international corporate, health, nonprofit, and development projects, some funded by the World Bank and USAID.

Paul merges insights from his communication practice and consulting with theory to help students become effective and responsible communication professionals.

Education

PhD, Communication and Media Studies, University of Oregon, 2023
MA, Communication Studies, University of Ghana, 2009
BA, English and History, University of Ghana, 2007

Research Interests / Areas of Focus

Strategic communication
Environmental health and social change communication
Political economy underlying the PR/advertising–journalism relationship
CSR communication

Selected Publications

Koomson, P. & Koomson, I. (2025). Toward vulnerability-responsive climate adaptation decision making: Group inclusiveness as prime driver of local participation. Climate and Development, 17(4), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2024.2368173 

Koomson, P. (2024). Involvement: A bidirectional perspective on participatory approaches for development and social change. Development in Practice, 34(8), 1058–1070. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2024.2354473 

Koomson, P. & Ofori-Parku, S. S. (2024). Navigating public service and profit-making mandates: The case of the Daily Graphic newspaper. Journalism Studies, 25(4), 358–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2024.2305910 

Koomson, P. (2024). Participating under constraints: Roles and limitations of rural women’s involvement in climate change adaptation planning and implementation in Ghana. Climate and Development, 16(6), 459–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2023.2236587 

Ofori-Parku, S. S. & Koomson, P. (2023). Corporate sustainability as a hegemonic discourse of globalization: The discourse-historical approach as a critical issues and stakeholder analysis tool. Public Relations Review, 49(1), 102275.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2022.102275 

Koomson, I., Koomson, P., & Abdul-Mumuni, A. (2023). Trust in banks, financial inclusion and the mediating role of borrower discouragement. International Review of Economics & Finance, 88, 1418–1431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.090 

Selected Presentations

Koomson, P., Ofori-Parku, S. S., & Botwe, K. (2025). 'How does "This Advert is FDA Approved" shape consumers' pain medicine decision making? An examination of unintended effects of regulator ad endorsement.’ 2025 Annual AEJMC Conference, San Francisco, CA. Top Paper (2nd Place) in the Advertising and Open Research Division

Ofori-Parku, S. S. & Koomson, P. (2024). "The early days of COVID-19 in the U.S.: a newspaper frame analysis." 74th Annual ICA International Conference, Gold Coast, Australia

Koomson, P. & Ofori-Parku, S. S. (2024). "Power perceptions and expressions as constraints and enablers of actors' roles in participatory climate adaptation planning." 74th Annual ICA Conference, Gold Coast, Australia

Koomson, P. (2023). "Toward vulnerability-responsive climate action: Communicative practices as prime driver of group inclusiveness and local participation." 73rd Annual ICA International Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Koomson, P. & Ofori-Parku, S. S. (2023). "Journalism in chains: A survey of attitudes of Ghanaian journalists toward supplemental pay from corporate sources." 73rd Annual ICA International Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Koomson, P. (2021). "Involvement: A bidirectional perspective on participatory development approaches for social change." IAMCR Conference, Nairobi, Kenya Koomson, P. & Ofori-Parku, S. S. (2020). "Public service mandate versus profit-making motive: A study of the Daily Graphic newspaper." AEJMC Conference, San Francisco, California

Koomson, P. (2020). "Assessing women's involvement in climate change adaptation project planning and implementation in Ghana." 70th ICA Annual Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. Top Paper in the Environmental Communication Division

Awards and Honors

  • Top Paper Award (2nd Place), Advertising and Open Research Division, AEJMC, 2025
  • Summer Research Stipend (Francis Marion University), 2024/2025
  • Summer Research Stipend (Francis Marion University), 2023/2024
  • Real Grant (experiential learning project to develop students’ research and writing skills), 2023/2024
  • IT Grant (to procure digital instructional display for Mass Communication Dept., FMU), 2023/2024
  • Anderson Family Fellowship for Journalism Ethics, School of Journalism and Communication, 2022
  • David S Easly Graduate Scholarship, Division of Graduate Studies, University of Oregon, 2022
  • Anderson Family Fellowship for Journalism Ethics, School of Journalism and Communication, 2021
  • Lokey Scholarship, School of Journalism and Communication, 2021
  • Franco Reis Graduate International Scholarship for 2020/2021 Academic Year, 2021
  • Top Paper Award, Environmental Communication Division, ICA 2020 ICA Travel Grant, ICA and Environmental Communication Division of ICA (Awarded but Declined), 2020
  • Columbia Scholarship, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, 2018 to 2022
  • University of Oregon Graduate School Promising Scholar Award, 2018/2019
Image of Paul Koomson.

Contact Information

Academic School

School of Communication and the Arts

Office

Lowell Thomas 248

Email

paul.koomson@Marist.edu

Phone

(845) 575-3000, ext. 2653