Arizona State University expert directory

Aaron Hess researches how rhetoric and technology shape credibility, trust and digital literacy, with a particular focus on online scams and how people are persuaded to participate in them.

His research combines rhetorical analysis with participatory methods such as ethnography, participant observation and interviews to examine how people communicate and make sense of information in physical, digital and hybrid space. His current work explores the relationship between ethos — the perceived character and credibility of a speaker — and online scams, including how scammers use rhetorical strategies to build trust. His teaching and research also examine emerging technologies and communication, including the societal role of artificial intelligence and human-machine communication.

Hess is the interim director of the School of Applied Professional Studies and a professor in the School of Applied Sciences and Arts within ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts.