Patrick F. Merle, Professor (Ph.D. Texas Tech University, 2013) is a French native, formerly an international reporter for global news organizations.

He currently serves as Director of the School of Communication (2020-present) after having been Director of the Integrated Marketing Communication program. He is also an affiliated faculty with FSU’s Institute for Successful Longevity.

2026-present: Representative-at-large, Commission for Public Relations Education (CPRE)
2025-present: Member of the Task Force committee for Association for Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC)
2025-present: Chair of the Research committee for Alliance of Schools and Colleges of Communication and Journalism (ASCCJ)
2024-present: Member of the Behavioral Insights Research Center, Institute for Public Relations
2024-present: Chair of the Virtual Conference for AEJMC Public Relations Division
2024-present: Member of the Advisory Committee for the International Public Relations Research Conference

Editorial board membership

Associate Editor – Frontiers: The International Journal of Study Abroad
Executive Editorial Committee for the Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine 

International Journal of Strategic Communication,
Corporate Communications, an International Journal 
Global Perspectives in Communication,
Journal of Public Relations Education.

Research Lab

C3, Crisis and Risk Communication Collective

Current research projects:

1-Crisis/Risk Communication: Studies to evaluate relationships between risk perceptions and environmental issues.
Recipient of a SEED Grant (2024-2026) to understand how to best communicate about risks of extreme tropical weather. Interdisciplinary project with FSU Geography.
-Focus on the US with extreme tropical weather, prescribed fires, flooding
-Review of global patterns such as South Asia
-Focus on risk of transmittable diseases

2-AI, trust, and transparency
-Review of disclosure type and trust in journalism and crisis contexts
-Analysis of labeling type and news contexts

3-Overtourism
-Review of message strategies

4-Physical therapy communication:
-Test of physical therapy recovery protocols

Prospective and current students can email at pmerle@fsu.edu to join these projects.

Courses taught:
Communication Research Methods
Crisis Communication
PR Strategies
PR Campaign
International PR
Political Communication

• Ph.D., Mass Communication, 2013, Texas Tech University
• Post-master’s degree, 1998, Journalism and Mass Communication, Institut Francais de Presse, Paris, France
• M.A. History, 1997, St Patrick’s College, Ireland & Universite Pierre Mendes France
• B.A., History, 1996, Universite Pierre Mendes France, France

Crisis and Risk Communication; Experimental research; Public Relations; Pedagogical reflections

Public Relations, Crisis Communication, Research Methods.