Department News

Spring 2004 Department of Communication Purdue University

Regular Features

Inside

Communicator Staff

Lindsey Vacek

Emilie Bauer

Adviser:
Jane Gibson Natt

Professor Steve Wilson and assistant professor Jennifer Thackaberry enjoy the department's holiday get-together.

Publications, Honors
and Awards

Patrice Buzzanell, associate professor, received the W. Charles Redding Award for Excellence in Teaching from the department in 2004. Buzzanell also received the following awards from the Organizational Communication Division of the National Communication Association: Best Article Award, Top 4 Paper Award. She also will serve as a Spotlight Scholar at the April 2004 Central States Communication Association Conference.

Jay Wang, assistant professor, co-authored "Strategic public diplomacy and local press: How a high-profile 'head-of-state' visit was covered in America’s heartland," in Public Relations Review. He also presented papers at the Conference on Chinese Communication and the 7th annual Internationanl Public Relations Research Conference. He was also named to the School of Engineering branding task force.

Bob Ogles, associate professor, and Steve Scherer, Ph.D., contributed to the three-volume "Encyclopedia of Radio" published by Routledge.

Sorin Matei, assistant professor, and S.J. Ball-Rokeach, published "The Internet in the communication infrastructure of ethnically-marked neighborhoods: meso or macro-linkage?" in the Journal of Communication. Matei also published or has coming out in 2004 articles in Internet Research Annual, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and Problems of post-communism.

Jennifer Thackaberry, assistant professor, published "Discursive opening and closing in organizational self study: Culture as trap and tool in wildland firefighting safety," the lead article in . Management Communication Quarterly, 17, and "Mutual metaphors of Survivor and office politics: Images of work in popular Survivor criticism," in M. J. Smith, & A. F. Wood (Eds.), Survivor lessons: Essays on communication and reality television.

Steve Wilson, professor, was a co-author on "Identity implications of influence goals: Initiating, intensifying, and ending romantic relationships," in theWestern Journal of Communication and "Persuasion and families" in the Handbook of family communication.

Brant Burleson, professor, authored or co-authored publications in Personal Relationships, Communication Research and Southern Communication Journal. He presented four papers at NCA, including a Top 3 paper designation for "Are men unmotivated to use highly person-centered comforting messages?" co-authored with graduate students Mandi Holmstrom and Cristina Gilstrap. He also presented the invited Distinguished Verderber Lecture at the University of Cincinnati. Versions of this lecture were also presented at the University of Minnesota and Ohio State University.

Jane Natt, assistant professor, elected to the SLA Faculty Senate.

Ralph Webb, professor, was elected to the University Senate for the fifth time. Webb also is the first department faculty member to be accepted to teach a study abroad course in Oxford, England.

Department News

Distinguished Professor

Professor Charles Stewart was honored as a "University Distinguished Professor" by the Purdue University Board of Trustees in April.

Professor Stewart has taught rhetoric at Purdue since 1961.

New Hire

Buddy Howell will join the Purdue faculty in Fall 2004 as an assistant professor of rhetoric and public affairs.

He is completing his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. He received his M.A. in Communication Studies and his B.A. in Speech Communication from Baylor University.

Howell has a variety of research and instructional interests, including the rhetorical study of the American presidency, specifically presidential foreign policy rhetoric and campaign rhetoric; diplomatic discourse from the Cold War era; the history of American oratory; and classical rhetoric.

Much of Howell's work involves research in the archives of presidential libraries, interviews of political actors involved in the formation of presidential rhetoric, and textual analyses of presidential speeches. His research has appeared in the Southern Communication Journal and the American Behavioral Scientist.

Glenn Sparks, professor, has a book chapter coming out in "Global Media Go to War: The Role of News and Entertainment Media During the 2003 Iraq War," published by Marquette Books. His essay, co-authored with Will Miller, is titled "News Coverage of the War in Iraq: Cognitive and Emotional Consequences for Viewers." He also published two articles in the Encyclopedia of Communication and Information by MacMillan.

Austin Babrow, professor, received the Southern Communication Journal's Volume 68 Rose B. Johnson Article Award for "Teasing as a means of social influence," co-authored with Carol Mills.

Josh Boyd, assistant professor, had articles published in College Teaching, Western Journal of Communication, Communication Studies and Communication Theory.

Robin Clair, associate professor, co-authored "Rhetorical strategies in union organizing: A case study of labor versus management," in Management Communication Quarterly with graduate students Ted Brimeyer (Sociology) and Andrea Eaker.

Read all about it!!
Department faculty were asked to share their expertise in numerous articles in the spring semester.

Assistant professor Jennifer Thackaberry commented on organizational skills used in the latest "Survivor" reality show in the Journal & Courier.

Professor Charles Stewart and associate professor Hank Scheele were part of a Lambda Pi Eta forum highlighting issues in the 2004 elections.

Assistant professor Josh Boyd was interviewed for an article in the Wall Street Journal about his views on naming sports stadiums.

The Communicator is the official alumni publication of the Department of Communication at Purdue University. It is published twice yearly by students in COM252 under the supervision of adviser Jane Gibson Natt.