Faculty and Staff
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Tenure-Track Faculty
Zhuo Ban
Assistant Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
119C ARTSCI
Omotayo O Banjo
Associate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
121-A ARTSCI
Gail T. Fairhurst
Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
119B ARTSCI
Chandra Nirmala Frank
Asst Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
EDWARDS 1 Edwards Center
Chandra’s dissertation and book project looks at the everyday experiences of the transnational feminist and queer Black, Migrant and Refugee Movement in the Netherlands during the 1980s. Using an innovative methodology based on Dutch colonial water infrastructures, she looks at how water functions as a form of domination, border and control and how, at the same time, it offers a theoretical and methodological framework to look at queer diasporic subjectivities. She frequently is invited to deliver lectures and keynotes at international academic and art institutions. Chandra has taught at Goldsmiths, School for International Training, and California State University Los Angeles. Her areas of teaching include queer and feminist theory, popular culture, visual cultures and critical race studies. Currently, Chandra is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Charles Phelps Taft Research Center at the University of Cincinnati.
In Fall 2020, Chandra is teaching COMM 4040: Cultural Studies, cross-listed with WGS 4001: Special Topics: Gender, Sexuality, and Visual Cultures. In Spring 2021, Dr. Frank is teaching WGS 4029/7029: Gender, Sexuality and Culture, with an emphasis on visual cultures. For further information, you can reach Dr. Frank at frankc6@ucmail.uc.edu.
Abel Thomas Gustafson
Assistant Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
145A ARTSCI
Dr. Gustafson's research has been published in premier academic journals such as Nature Energy, Nature Climate Change, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), and Journal of Environmental Psychology.
His first-authored research has been covered in New York Times, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Business Insider, VICE, Axios, and others. His co-authored research has also been covered in Reuters, ABC News, CNN, LA Times, Five Thirty-Eight, Forbes, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, and others including The Onion.
Before joining the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Gustafson was a postdoc at Yale University (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 2018-2020) and earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara (Communication, 2018).
Stephen M Haas
Professor of Communication, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
145B ARTSCI
His teaching and research interests are in the areas of Health Communication and Interpersonal/Relational Communication. Much of his work has explored communication dimensions of: (a) Relationship Maintenance in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples (b) Social Support in Couples/Families Coping with Chronic Illness (e.g., HIV/AIDS), (c) co-author of Uncertainty Management Theory, and (d) the Patient Self-Advocacy Scale (PSAS) to assess patient participation in Doctor-Patient Communication. His research has been published in Communication and Medical Journals such as Human Communication Research, Communication Monographs, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Health Communication, AIDS Care, Journal of Nursing in AIDS Care, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, and he serves on the editorial boards of the flagship journals Health Communication and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
Dr. Haas has been the recipient of 5 national-level research awards: the National Communication Association's Golden Anniversary Monograph Award recognizing the top scholalry journal articles/books published in the Communication discipline for his work as coauthor in orginating Uncertainty Management Theory (Communication Monographs, 2000) as well as receiving the Health Communication Distinguished Article of the Year Award from the Health Communication Division of the National Communication Association--an award that recognizes research with a significant impact on the field of Health Communication. In addition, he received the National Communication Association's Gerald R. Miller Dissertation Award for the top dissertation in the field of Communication in 1999, as well as receiving the joint National Communication Association/International Communication Association's top dissertation award from the Interpersonal Communication Divisions. Most recently, his work recieved the 2017 Monograph of the Year Award from the GLBTQ Studies Division of the National Communication Association.
His research has been funded by several National Institutes of Health (NIH) agencies, including; the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) AIDS Clinical Trials Division. He also is a former faculty member at Rutgers University.
Delaney Grace Harness
Asst Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
037A ARTSCI
She has received distinctions for her scholarship from the National Communication Association and International Communication Association. She was awarded the inaugural C-SPAN Graduate Fellowship for her work on norm entrepreneurship in US policy. She has previously worked on grant-funded projects with the Swedish Center for Environmental Research (MISTRA), looking at sustainability in market-based organizations, and on grant-funded research with the Omidyar Network to understand the role of democracy in digital spaces.
Ronald L Jackson II
Professor of Communication, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
146C ARTSCI
Eric Scott Jenkins
Assistant Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
144-C ARTSCI
Nancy A Jennings
Professor, and Director of the Children's Education and Entertainment Research (CHEER) Lab, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
120CA ARTSCI
John A. Lynch
Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
144A ARTSCI
Kelly Merrill Jr
Asst Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
037C ARTSCI
His primary research interests are at the intersection of health communication and communication technology. In particular, he is interested in stigmatization, marginalization, and disparities in both technological and health domains. Further, his research investigates the use of communication technologies for social, physical, and mental health benefits.
He has published several articles in various journals, including Journal of Medical Internet Research, Computers in Human Behavior, Telematics and Informatics, and Communication Research Reports.
Shaunak Sastry
Associate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
120A ARTSCI
Heather M. Zoller
Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
143 ARTSCI
Her research focuses on communication and the politics of illness prevention. She investigates how illness attributions (diagnostic framing) facilitate or impede organizing to address the structural, root causes of health disparities, with a focus on occupational, environmental, and economic health. Theoretical concerns include power and resistance, corporate issues management, participation and dialogue, as well as health activism/social movements and social change.
Recent work focuses on worker participation in corporate accountability to promote workplace health and the worker-owned cooperative movement as a route to achieve an inclusive, sustainable, and health-supporting economy.
Her work appears in journals such as Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Communication Yearbook. She co-edited the book "Emerging Issues and Perspectives in Health Communication: Meaning, Culture, and Power" with Mohan Dutta.
Dr. Zoller is the Editor-Elect of the Journal of Applied Communication Research. She has served as an Associate Editor at Human Relations and Management Communication Quarterly, and Senior Editor at Health Communication.
She is the Board President for Ohio Citizen Action Education Fund. She serves on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on PPE for Workplace Safety and Health.
Dr. Zoller teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as Inroduction to Communicating Health, Science, and Environment, Communication and Health Politics, Organizational Communication: Power and Politics, Dialogue and Communication, and Qualitative Methods. She is the advisor for the Communicating Science, Health, and the Environment certificate.
Educator Faculty
Suzanne Boys
Professor & Interim Head, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
137D ARTSCI
Her areas of expertise include organizational communication, organizational culture, and public relations.She currently teaches Organizational Diversity; Organizational Image, Identity, & Issue Management; and Public Relations Campaigns. She directed UC's Public Relations program from 2010-2021. She now serves as Interim Head of the new School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies.
Michelle Lindsay Colpean
Asst Professor - Educator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
ARTSCI
Steven J. Fuller
Educator Professor; Communication Undergraduate Director, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
140B ARTSCI
Steve currently serves as the Communication Undergraduate Director, managing the program's curriculum and advising over 700 students (majors, minors, certificates).
Previously, he co-launched the Communication Co-op Program, founded Lambda Pi Eta—UC's chapter of the National Communication Association's honor society, co-launched the UC Online Communication BA, and hosted CommCeleb—the department's annual awards banquet.
Steve is a well-respected lecturer and writer, speaking to a wide variety of groups and organizations. Steve's book, The Church Experiment, documents his experiences visiting 52 religious gatherings in 52 weeks. His podcast, Communication Junkie, shares practical communication skills to improve interpersonal relationships. His party game, Good vs Gooder, works as a great icebreaker activity inside or outside the classroom.
Please email Steve for more information about the Communication undergraduate program, his community-engaged approach to teaching, or any of his creative projects.
Amber K Gee
Educator Associate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
149C ARTSCI
She has co-authored a public speaking instructor's manual and a journal article on the New Hampshire primary, which she attended in 2008.
Amber has served the Department of Communication as assistant speech course director, Interim speech course director, PR Writing course director, co-director of the Alice M. House Speech Contest, Committiee chair of the Teaahing and Community Groups. She now serves as the Director of Social Media and Promotions - the only faculty member in A&S to serve in such a role.
Occasionally, she writes as a freelance journalist for local papers. Her interests include: public relations, public speaking, teaching improvement, online teaching, writing and political communication. Professor Gee is a two time graduate of UC receiving her BA in English Literature (2000) and MA in Communication (2004).
Jessica Graves-Rack
Assistant Professor Educator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
149A ARTSCI
Basic Course Director - Communication 1071 - Introduction to Public Speaking
Evan R. Griffin
Educator Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
140 ARTSCI
Lisamarie Luccioni
Professor Educator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
146B ARTSCI
Molly B. Mayer
Educator Professor, Business Communication Coordinator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
149B ARTSCI
Maribeth S. Metzler
Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
037A ARTSCI
Autumn Leigh Miller
Associate Professor Educator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
146A ARTSCI
Michael J. Woeste
Associate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
037B ARTSCI
Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences
Design and teach undergraduate courses in Introduction to Communication
Theory, Intercultural Communication, Advanced Intercultural Communication, and Seminar in Integrated Intercultural Communication to classes averaging 30 - 40 students.
Design and teach special topics courses for the University of Cincinnati Honors
Program in Urban Poverty and Intercultural Communication (349H), Appalachian Culture and Intercultural Communication (395H), and Global Poverty and Intercultural Communication (363H) to classes averaging 25 students.
Design and teach special topics courses on Philanthropy, Urban Poverty
and Intercultural Communication (349S) serving the homeless and addicted communities.
Coordinate and facilitate experiential components for intercultural courses
(349/449/549) with community agencies/partners.
Coordinate and direct students enrolled in 392 (Projects in Communication)
Direct and advise select Communication Honors student’s research projects
Advise students matriculated as communication majors in course selection and
related matters.
Advisor: Cincinnati Community Outreach, Student group serving the Greater
Cincinnati area with service projects.
Advisor: Serve Beyond Cincinnati, Student group serving communities in
multiple local, regional and international locations.
2003 – 2009 Field Service Assistant Professor:
Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
Design and teach undergraduate courses in Introduction to Communication
Theory, Introduction to Intercultural Communication, Intercultural Communication, Advanced Intercultural Communication, and Seminar in Integrated Intercultural Communication to classes averaging 20-30 students.
Design and teach special topics courses for the University of Cincinnati Honors
Program in Urban Poverty and Intercultural Communication (349H), Appalachian Culture and Intercultural Communication (395H), and Global Poverty and Intercultural Communication (363H) to classes averaging 25 students.
Coordinate and facilitate experiential components for intercultural courses
(349/449/549) with community agencies/partners.
Coordinate and direct students enrolled in 392 (Projects in Communication)
Direct and advise select Communication Honors student’s research projects
Advise students matriculated as communication majors in course selection and
related matters.
Serve as the Chair of Curriculum Committee for Interpersonal Communication
Theory
Serve as the Coordinator of Service Learning for the Department of
Communication.
Member of the University of Cincinnati Service Learning Advisory Council
Appointed member of the University of Cincinnati Honors Program Council
Advisor: Cincinnati Community Outreach, Student group serving the Greater
Cincinnati area with service projects.
Member of Search Committee: Director of the University Center for Community
Engagement
Member of Search Committee: Director of Academic and Community
Affiliate Faculty
Jeffrey Layne Blevins
Professor, Dept. of Journalism; and School of Public and International Affairs, A&S Journalism
22 B ARTSCI
Jeffrey Blevins CV
Emeriti Faculty
Cindy L. Berryman-Fink
Professor Emerita, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
ARTSCI
James Wilbur Crocker-Lakness
Professor Emeritus, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
120 ARTSCI
Steve Paul Depoe
Professor - Adj Ann, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
146 ARTSCI
Kristina Tabor Galyen
Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
Professor Galyen is also the Director of the annual Alice M. House Speech Contest, a century old tradition in the department.
Although Professor Galyen has taught many courses for the department, her primary teaching interest is in the area of Rhetoric and Public Communication. She teaches Introduction to Rhetorical Theory (306)as well as Theories of Argument (302). She has co-authored the book Advanced Public Speaking: Persuasive Strategies (Thompson Learning, Custom Publishing, 2000), with colleagues Rudolph Verderber, Lisamarie Luccioni and Wendy Larcher.
In February 2007, Professor Galyen was awarded for her dedictation and committment to UC students by The African American Cultural and Research Center. In 1995 and 1996 Professor Tabor was awarded and recognized by the Department of Communication for outstanding instruction in meeting PIRT (Project Initiative to Reward Teaching) goals.
Professor Galyen is also President of her own consulting compnay, Power Presenters. She serves as a Presentations Consultant/Coach to several high-profile firms in the Cincinnati area.
She holds an M.A. in Communication from the University of Cincinnati.
Kurt J. Neuwirth
Associate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
137 ARTSCI
Lisa H. Newman
Educator Professor, Department of Communication, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
Michael S Porte
Professor Emeritus , School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
3513 French Hall
Teresa Sabourin
School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
146 ARTSCI
Dr. Sabourin has been a member of the faculty in the Department of Communication at the University of Cincinnati since 1984. She was the graduate director from 1992 to 2002. She was the Department Head from 2002-2011.
She has published a number of articles and book chapters on family communication including the book, The Contemporary American Family: A Dialectical Perspective on Communication and Relationships (Sage).
Staff
Ashley D. Hutchison
Business Administrator, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
ARTSCI
Ekaterina Katzarova
Program Manager, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
ARTSCI
Amanda M. Powell
Financial Administrator 2, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
ARTSCI