Shannon is a 4th-year doctoral candidate in Information at Florida State University (FSU), where her research focuses on the spread of misinformation, especially on social media, and the impact of disinformation campaigns. Her interests also include storytelling, particularly in capturing and preserving the lived experiences of African Americans in Florida. Shannon is deeply committed to exploring the intersection of information reliability and validity, with a focus on restoring trust in information.
As the Director of Gateway Grant Writing & Administration Services, Inc., Shannon has successfully secured over $15 million in federal and state grant funding over the past five years, primarily serving counties and municipalities in North Florida. She returned to FSU after completing her Master of Science in Information in 2018 to pursue her Ph.D., driven by her passion for addressing the critical issues of media literacy and data storytelling for marginalized populations.
Shannon teaches LIS 4380 Social Media Management at FSU, where she incorporates her research on social media movements, mis/disinformation, and information ecosystems. Her teaching and professional work reflect her dedication to advancing information literacy and trust in information in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field.
Upon completing her Ph.D., Shannon aims to continue her academic career by developing and teaching courses that align with her research areas, focusing on promoting social justice in the digital age, information literacy, and storytelling.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Information (Currently enrolled)
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Master of Science in Information
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Master's Certificate in Information Architecture
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Bachelor of Science in Career & Technical Education, specializing in Vocational Program Development
The University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida
Research Interests
Misinformation/Disinformation, Data Storytelling, Hermeneutics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in LIS
Teaching Interests
Misinformation and Disinformation Studies, Social Media Information Literacy, Storytelling Grant Writing and Proposal Development, Digital Equity and Inclusion and Media Literacy
Publications & Research
Burnett, G., & Williams, S. (2024). “Do your own research”: Everyday misinformation and conspiracy in online information worlds. In M. Ocepek, M. R. Sanfilippo, & B. M. Frischmann (Eds.), Governing Everyday Misinformation. Cambridge University Press.
Grants & Awards
2020-2021 FSU Jacqueline D. Montgomery Scholarship in Information Studies
2020-2021 FSU University-wide Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Nomination
2020-2021 FSU CCI Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
2020-2021 ALISE Diversity Travel Award to the ALISE Annual Conference
2021-2022 FSU Jacqueline D. Montgomery Scholarship in Information Studies
2021-2022 FSU Harold Goldstein Scholarship Award
2021-2022 FSU College of Communication & Information Student Leadership Award