Prof. Sheafer's work delves into the role of politicians' charismatic skills within the media arena and examines the increasing centrality of individual politicians in political processes, often at the expense of traditional political institutions such as parties and governments. He leads the DeepStory research laboratory, which pioneers innovative methods for computerized analysis of political narratives using advanced deep learning models.

Before his appointment as President in October 2025, Prof. Sheafer served as Rector (Provost) from 2022 to 2025. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Political Communication from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.