Adam Maksl

Adam Maksl, Ph.D., is Professor of Journalism & New Media and Co-Chair of the Department of Communication at Indiana University Indianapolis. Over about two decades in higher education, he has built a reputation as an innovative educator, scholar, and academic leader whose work bridges technology, pedagogy, and learner success. His career has included leading academic programs, building award-winning student media organizations, designing high-impact faculty development initiatives, and shaping institutional strategies around emerging technologies.

Dr. Maksl served as a faculty fellow in Indiana University’s system-wide Learning Technologies organization. As Senior Faculty Fellow for GenAI Learning Innovation, he designed and led initiatives that have helped IU faculty adapt thoughtfully to AI’s opportunities and challenges, ensuring both practical skill development and attention to ethics.

He is also co-founder of the Digital Gardener Initiative, IU’s university-wide, multi-campus program that supports faculty in embedding digital literacy – including AI literacy – in their courses and across the curriculum. This work has impacted thousands of students by helping faculty across disciplines rethink how digital literacy can enrich learning.

A nationally recognized scholar in media and news literacy, Dr. Maksl approaches AI literacy as an extension of media literacy—emphasizing the ability to critically access, evaluate, and create information in an AI-infused media ecosystem. His research and teaching link time-tested skills such as verification, bias detection, and understanding media systems with the emerging competencies needed to navigate AI-generated content and algorithmic curation.

Before joining IU Indianapolis, he was a professor at Indiana University Southeast, where he led the Journalism & Media Program and served as Director of Student Media. Dr. Maksl earned his Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of Missouri, his M.A. in Journalism from Ball State University, and his B.S. in Secondary Education from Indiana University Bloomington. A first-generation college graduate, he remains committed to expanding access to transformative learning experiences.