
Gao Xiaonuo poses for a photo with her research poster. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]
From Aug 6 to 10, the 2025 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), themed "Leading in Times of Momentous Change: Individual and Collective Opportunities", was held in San Francisco, California.
Gao Xiaonuo, a 2023 master's student from Huazhong Agricultural University's (HZAU) College of Humanities & Social Sciences, presented her research at the prestigious event.
Gao showcased her paper, titled "The Semantic Evolution of 'Platform' in China: A Corpus-Based Historical Analysis" in a poster session, engaging in in-depth discussions with scholars from around the world. Her research examines how the concept of "platform" has evolved semantically within the Chinese context.
Using a qualitative corpus-based analysis, the study identifies four semantic domains: architecture, apparatus, computing, and metaphor. The research reveals that the meaning of "platform" has undergone three distinct shifts, moving from a physical structure to an apparatus, from a tangible object to a digital technology, and from a human-made creation to a metaphor. Gao's findings highlight technology and communication as the key drivers behind these transformations.
According to external reviewers, the study offers a valuable non-Western perspective on the concept of "platform" and provides an insightful framework that could deepen understanding and promote localized research in the field. Gao's work demonstrates a high level of academic rigor and marks a significant achievement for both the student and the university.