Ellison has made foundational contributions in the areas of computer-mediated communication, mediated interpersonal interaction, self-presentation, use of social media in organizations, relationship initiation and maintenance in online contexts, and online dating sites. Her 2007 and 2013 articles on social network sites (with danah boyd)[3] have over 23,000 citations. Her work on Facebook relationship maintenance has been cited by and adopted in a variety of scholarly articles, and she is frequently sought as a speaker, advisor, and collaborator in these areas. She received a grant from the National Science Foundation in 2009 to pursue her work on "the role of social network sites in facilitating collaborative processes".[4] She also received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the College Knowledge Challenge group to explore the potential for social media to address college-going behaviors among low-income and first-generation college students.
Ellison is frequently sought for expert commentary on social media. She has been quoted in mainstream news articles on popular social media sites like Facebook[6] and Snapchat,[7] on news and social media,[8] and on relationships and social media.[9]
2008. "Social capital, self-esteem, and use of online social network sites: A longitudinal analysis". (with Charles Steinfeld and Cliff Lampe)
2007. "The benefits of Facebook "friends:" Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites". (with Cliff Lampe and Charles Steinfeld)
2011. Connection strategies: Social capital implications of Facebook-enabled communication practices. (with Charles Steinfeld and Cliff Lampe)
2014. Cultivating Social Resources on Social Network Sites: Facebook Relationship Maintenance Behaviors and Their Role in Social Capital Processes. (with Jessica Vitak, Rebecca Gray, and Cliff Lampe)
