In the News
Shinsuke Eguchi, Ph.D., a professor at the University of New Mexico, spoke to the New Mexico Daily Lobo about the Asian American Studies course he will teach in the fall. The course, the first of its kind to be offered at the University, “is about understanding the historical, political, and economic context in which Asian Americans are racialized,” said Eguchi who is also president-elect of the Western States Communication Association.
Lauren Mackenzie, Ph.D., Marine Corp University, discussed "The Role of Failure in Teaching & Learning" in a recent episode of the Air Force University's Wild Blue Yonder podcast. Listen to the episode here: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Wild-Blue-Yonder/Podcast/mod/42855/player/a3aa0e91f253810a1f23c1ac3e4a85cd/audio/71456
Sharon Lauricella, Ph.D., Ontario Tech University, discussed how teaching Communication and digital media, with a focus on non-disposable/renewable assignments, has transformed her teaching as a guest on Harvard University’s Social Learning Amplified podcast. The show is sponsored by Perusall and hosted by Eric Mazur. Listen to the episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-10-a-look-at-perusall-and-open-pedagogies/id1648941866?i=1000608285476
In a recent column and an op-ed, Richard Cherwitz, Ph.D., the Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor Emeritus in the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, addressed the University of Texas Board of Regents and faculty rights in the Longview News-Journal and The Cap Times. Cherwitz’s articles were also published in several Texas newspapers including the San Antonio Express-News, the Dallas Morning News, the Austin Chronicle, and El Paso Times.
For The Buffalo News, Cherwitz argues in his column that the “Constant media barrage desensitizes viewers to violence.”
The May 25, 2023, New York Review of Books featured this letter to the editor, “Originalism’s Limits,” from Craig Smith, Ph.D., emeritus director, Center for First Amendment Studies, California State University, Long Beach.
In her latest blog post, “Is there a Monster Under the Bed? Organizational Culture and the Ethic of Fear,” Debbie S. Dougherty, Ph.D., University of Missouri, with Communication scholar Tylor Sorg, Ph.D., writes about the dynamic that she says takes place in many organizations when there are incidents of sexual harassment. “Bystanders are endlessly fearful, making them passive observers or even active participants, but rarely interveners.”
Awards
Roseann M. Mandziuk, Ph.D., a University Distinguished Professor at Texas State University, received the university’s Presidential Award for Excellence on Teaching at the Professor/Associate Professor level. University officials had this to say about the award-winning educator: she has “shown an outstanding ability to make teaching and learning an exciting experience.” Mandziuk is NCA’s immediate past president.
Kent Ono, Ph.D., a former NCA president, received the 2023 Distinguished Mentor Award from the University of Utah Graduate School. Those who nominated Prof. Ono for the award called his “mentoring especially impressive because he lives the ideas he advocates in his scholarship in his role as a mentor. He sees issues of race, gender, sexuality, ability, class, and nation as constitutively linked.”
Also in May, Ono was appointed a Distinguished Professor. According to the university, this honor and rank “is reserved for selected individuals whose achievements exemplify the highest goals of scholarship as demonstrated by recognition accorded to them from peers with national and international stature, and whose record includes evidence of a high dedication to teaching as demonstrated by recognition accorded to them by students and/or colleagues.”
Elizabeth K. Eger, Ph.D., Texas State University, is the recipient of the university’s Presidential Award at the Assistant Professor level.
Kirsten Weber, Ph.D., Central Michigan University, received the 2023 President’s Award. This award celebrates the success of senior faculty members throughout their time at the university. Weber is a communication professor who has been researching interpersonal communication’s impact on health experiences for over 15 years.
Greg Dickinson, Ph.D., Colorado State University, was honored with The Morgan Endowed Chair, one of the highest faculty honors in the College of Liberal Arts. The university recognized Dickinson "for his entrepreneurial approach to leadership, his accomplishments in scholarship, teaching, and administrative services, and his vision for using the Morgan Award to help coalesce existing strengths in the college through the development of the Center for Engaged Humanities.”
Leslie Ramos, Ph.D., the general manager of Sycamore Media at Indiana State University, won the Cork McHargue Radio-TV-Film scholarship, a Bruce McCormick scholarship, and was inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s official honor society.
Sarah Cho, Ph.D., University of Texas Permian Basin, won the 2022 La Mancha Society Golden Windmill Award, which is meant to encourage junior faculty to continue their research. Cho’s current research focuses on how people of different cultures interact with each other and choose the words they use.
Jacob T. Fisher, Ph.D., University of Illinois, was awarded the inaugural 2023 Rising Star award from the International Communication Association’s Communication Science & Biology Interest Group.
Academic Appointments & Research
Jennifer Erdely, Ph.D., Prairie View University, is the newly appointed Associate Dean for Research-Humanities and Social Science.
Brandi Lawless, Ph.D., University of San Francisco, was promoted to full professor. An author and the editor of NCA’s journal Communication Teacher, Lawless was also awarded Distinguished Research and Community Engaged Learning Awards from the university.
Matthew Salzano, Ph.D., a researcher who explores the intersections of social identities and digital technology, will join Stony Brook as an IDEA Fellow in Ethical AI, Information Systems, and Data Science and Literacy applied to Complex Structures and Networks. He will hold a joint appointment with the School of Communication and Journalism/Alda Center for Communicating Science and the Program in Writing and Rhetoric.
Books
Orlando L. Taylor, Ph.D., a former NCA president, co-edited Higher Education in a Changing World, a new publication from Fielding University Press. The book, authored by nearly 50 higher education scholars and leaders from across the spectrum of higher education, tackles issues such as the global challenges facing higher education leadership; how institutions can thrive in a competitive environment; the opportunities of international outreach; initiatives to advance greater diversity and equity; the key role played by HBCUs and other special focused institutions; rethinking traditional STEM education; and how to foster transformative experiences for students. ISBN: 1737943964
Jimmie Manning, Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno, co-edited the new textbook, Family Communication as… Exploring Metaphors for Family Communication, with Jordan Allen, Ph.D., Utah Valley University, and Katherine Denker, Ph.D., Ball State University. Published by Wiley, Family Communication as… offers a “unique approach to the foundational theories and real-world practices of family communication,” and will help students develop a clear understanding of what family communication is and what it can be.” ISBN: 978-1-119-66849-7
Ludic Pedagogy: A Seriously Fun Way to Teach and Learn is the new book co-authored by NCA member Sharon Lauricella, Ph.D., Ontario Tech University, and T. Keith Edmunds, Ph.D. Based on the Ludic Pedagogy model, it outlines why and how having fun and positive experiences in college and university classes (and not just at social events or parties) leads to increased student success in face-to-face, hybrid, hyflex, or online environments. The book, published by Rowman & Littlefield, was released June 15. ISBN: 978-1-4758-7165-4
Unraveling: An Autoethnography of Suicide and Renewal is the latest book from Mike Alvarez, Ph.D., University of New Hampshire. The book, which will be published in October by Routledge, is “an autoethnographic story that explores the relationship between trauma, marginality, and mental health, provides an intimate look into the experience of anxiety, paranoia, depression, and suicidality.” Says Alvarez, who teaches mental health communication and end of life communication: “There is a dearth of personal narrative research on suicidality by members of marginalized communities, which Unraveling seeks to contribute to.” ISBN: 9781032346519