Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activities
Journalism
Faculty in this category focus on media coverage, news production, ethics, and the role of journalism in society. Their research covers various aspects of news reporting, media ethics, and representation, as well as their professional experiences in journalism and student publication advising.
- Media Ethics and Law: Research on the ethical concerns surrounding journalism and media practices, including media regulation and the ethical challenges of coverage (Hicks).
- Journalistic Representation: Focus on media portrayals, especially concerning LGBT communities and marginalized groups (Hicks).
- Student Publications: Merrett oversees The Alestle, guiding students in journalism practices, copy editing, media ethics, and newsroom management.
- Cultural and Minority Representation: Research on how media portrays minority groups, with a special focus on media effects on societal perceptions (Hicks, Speno).
Advertising & Strategic Media
This category includes faculty research and creative work in advertising, marketing communication, and media campaigns. Focus areas include consumer behavior, media strategy, global advertising, and public relations.
- Advertising and Consumer Behavior: Research on how advertising influences consumer identities and behaviors, focusing on visual communication and gender (Mishra).
- International Advertising: Analysis of global advertising practices, including cross-cultural communication strategies (Mishra).
- Media Campaigns: Develop strategic media campaigns and explore how media can influence public perception (Mishra, Byers).
- Health Communication and Public Messaging: Investigating how health-related media campaigns affect public health behaviors, such as body image and self-objectification (Speno).
Media Production
Faculty in this track specialize in the production and creative design of digital and traditional media, including documentaries, film production, web design, and digital storytelling. This track is highly focused on media creation's technical and artistic aspects.
- Documentary Filmmaking: Faculty produce documentaries on social issues, often with regional or national recognition (Byers, Atwood, Kapatamoyo).
- Digital Media Production: This program focuses on web design, interactive media, and the convergence of traditional and new media technologies (Baasanjav, Kapatamoyo, Leith).
- Film and Video Production: Creative work on short films, documentaries, and commercial production (Byers, Atwood).
- Photography and Visual Communication: Research and creative activities in photography and visual storytelling, especially in non-Western contexts (Li).
