Luis Hestres

I am a tenure-track assistant professor in the communication faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio . In May 2014 I earned my PhD from the School of Communication at American University. My work has been published in New Media & Society and the International Journal of Communication, and I have presented at the ICA conference, among others.

My research focuses on the intersection of technology, political communication and mobilization, Internet freedom, and social change. Topics I have researched or intend to include: how different types of advocacy organizations use the Internet to communicate with their supporters and mobilize them; how the policies and technical features that information intermediaries like Facebook, Twitter, Apple, etc. implement affect freedom of expression online and the work of advocacy organizations; the different ways that advocacy organizations communicate online with their supporters about climate change; and online political communication and organizing as an emerging profession.

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where I earned a BA in Communication from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan. Later I earned masters degrees from American University and Georgetown University. Before pursuing my doctorate, I worked as an online organizer at various nonprofits, and was most recently the Internet Director at the 1Sky climate campaign, which merged with 350.org in April 2011.