Skip to main content
Northwestern School of Communication

Ignacio Fernandez Cruz

(He/Him/His)
Assistant Professor
Ignacio Fernandez Cruz is an expert in organizational communication and emerging technologies, emphasizing how knowledge and expertise flow through people, organizations, and technologies with a commitment to communication design for social justice.

Area(s) of Expertise

Communication Design for Social Justice, Digital Transformation of Work, Emerging Technologies, Organizational Communication

Affiliated Center(s)

Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern
Center for Latinx Digital Media
Human, Machine & Society
Ignacio Fernandez Cruz

Ignacio Fernandez Cruz is an Assistant Professor of Communication in the School of Communication at Northwestern University.

Dr. Cruz's expertise sits at the intersection of new ways of organizing, sociotechnical practices that intertwine AI technologies with employees, and the dynamic shifts in knowledge and expertise within today's workforce.

He is currently working on various projects that delve into the hiring and selection practices of personnel utilizing AI for talent acquisition and the design of communication technologies that highlight fairness, accountability, and equity. Furthermore, Dr. Cruz is invested in understanding how rapid advancements in digital technologies and platforms transform work arrangements and reshape personnel practices.

His scholarship has been featured in various outlets within the areas of communication studies, management, and information studies research. He has won several research awards from the National Communication Association and International Communication Association. Prior to joining Northwestern, Dr. Cruz was a former National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and Ronald E. McNair Scholar. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and fellowships from the University of Southern California and University of Texas at Austin.

He earned his Ph.D. from the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.


Education

  • PhD, Communication (Groups, Organizations, and Networks), University of Southern California
  • MA, Communication, University of Southern California
  • BS, Organizational Communication, University of Texas at Austin

Courses

  • Theories of Organizational Communication
  • Technology and the Future of Work
  • Managing AI