Brant R. Burleson, Professor, has been named a Distinguished Scholar of the National Communication Association.

This award recognizes a lifetime of scholarly achievement in the study of human communication by members of NCA. The award was presented to Burleson at the 2006 NCA annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. 

According to NCA, its Distinguished Scholar Award "is presented to a select group of individuals who have been recognized by their peers for a career of outstanding scholarship devoted to improving our understanding of human communication." Currently, there are approximately 40 living Distinguished Scholars recognized by NCA. 

Burleson has published five edited books and over 125 scholarly papers. He has previously received awards honoring his scholarship from the International Communication Association, the International Association for Relationship Research, the Central States Communication Association, the American Forensic Association, and the Association for Women in Psychology, as well as NCA.

NCA is the oldest and largest national organization serving the academic discipline of Communication. NCA has a membership of nearly 8,000 researchers, educators, students, and practitioners, whose academic interests span all forms of human communication.

Burleson received his B.A. degree (1975) from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his master's degree (1977) and Ph.D. degree (1982) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He joined Purdue's Department of Communication in 1981.

Burleson's research examines supportive forms of communication such as comforting, communication skill acquisition and development, the role of emotion in communication and relationships, and the effects of communication skills on personal and social relationships.  He has twice held fellowships from Purdue's Center for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.  He teaches courses in communication theory, interpersonal communication, persuasion, and the philosophy of the social sciences.