Name: Meta G. Carstarphen, Ph.D., APR
Where you work: I am Gaylord Family Professor, Strategic Communication, in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma.
Where did you get your Ph.D.: I earned my doctorate in Rhetoric (Dept. of English, Speech and Foreign Languages) from Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, Texas, which was founded in 1901. TWU is the oldest university primarily for women in the United States.
Current favorite class: Currently, I am excited by my new challenge of transforming my undergraduate and graduate sections of Race, Gender (Class) and the Media from large lecture classes to 100 percent online courses. Since I first created these courses at OU in 2002, I have grounded them strongly in content about the historical development of the media and the evolution of identity portrayals. I really enjoy guiding students through what is often “new” information to them and encouraging them to apply this knowledge to contemporary media of all kinds.
Current research project: My current research projects combine my top interests in three areas: re-imagining the 19th century United States Black and Indian “pioneer” experience through their newspapers; a historiography of “race” as strategic communication; and a historical nonfiction account of race, gender and a series of serial killings in Texas. Also, as editor of the Communication Booknotes Quarterly journal (Taylor & Francis), I am developing content that will celebrate the journal’s 50th year in 2019.
Fun fact about me: I am a total fangirl when it comes to superhero anything! I loved such movies as Black Panther, Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, and I cannot wait to see Captain Marvel this year.
Name: David Davies
Where you work: University of Southern Mississippi
Where you got/are getting your Ph.D.: University of Alabama, 1997
Current favorite class: Introduction to Social Media
Current research project: Anti-Communism Crusaders in Mississippi in the 1940s
Fun fact about yourself: I was a French major as an undergraduate and have enjoying refreshing my knowledge of the language over the last few years. Who’s up for Paris?
Name: Flora Khoo
Where you work: School of Communication and the Arts, Regent University
Where you got/are getting your Ph.D.: Regent University, where she serves as the vice chair of BEA’s History Division.
Current favorite class: Theories and Effects of Mediated Terrorism
Current research project: Colin Kapernick Nike ad: Strategic use of Twitter in the role of public debate of sensitive social justice issues
Fun fact about yourself: I love canoeing!
Name: Wendy Melillo
Where you work: School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C.
Where you got your degrees: I am AU born and bred. I hold the following degrees:
- B.A. in International Relations and Print Journalism from American University
- M.A. in International Communication from American University
- M.A. in the History of Ideas from Johns Hopkins University
I’m thinking about getting a Ph.D. in American History to improve my historical research methods. Anyone out there willing to discuss the wisdom or folly of earning a Ph.D. post-tenure?
Current favorite class: Ethics in Strategic Communication, which is a course I developed and teach online in our Master’s in Strategic Communication program. Students are taught how to use classical theories of ethics and professional codes of ethics to make justifiable decisions in response to thorny ethical scenarios. Since no course is ever complete without some history, we trace the rise of the Protestant work ethic and the role it played in the birth of modern capitalism. We also explore the roots of propaganda.
Current research project: I am juggling two book projects. One involves women in political communication. The second focuses on the chief lobbying organization for liquor manufacturers and the legacy of prohibition.
Fun fact about yourself: I hold a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. The training gave me great confidence when I covered night cops for The Washington Post.
Name: Vinicio Sinta
Where you work: Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Where you got/are getting your Ph.D.: School of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, 2018
Current favorite class: I am currently helping coordinate a capstone program that includes an internship and on-site coursework at a Univision station in San Antonio—an amazing experience!
Current research project: I am working toward expanding the research I did for my dissertation – a history of the formation of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Fun fact about me: In the past few years, I have been fortunate to collaborate with several oral history projects based in Texas, including Voces (UT-Austin) and Civil Rights in Black and Brown (Texas Christian University). Looking forward, I am keen on exploring the opportunities that this type of research presents for scholarly and creative work.
Name: Andrew Stoner
Where you work: California State University, Sacramento
Where you got/are getting your Ph.D.: Colorado State University
Current favorite class: Writing Public Information
Current research project: I’m completing final edits on a new book, The Journalist of Castro Street: The Life of Randy Shilts – the first-ever biography on America’s AIDS chronicler. It will be released in 2019 by University of Illinois Press. I’m also completing a manuscript examining the Presidential campaigns of Alabama Governor George C. Wallace between 1964-1976 in states outside of the Deep South.
Fun fact about yourself: I occasionally appear on true-crime TV programs such as “Snapped: Killer Couples” and “Crime Watch Daily” based on my writing about infamous crime cases across America. I also sold the rights to my book Cobra Killer for a 2016 feature film, “King Cobra.”
Compiled by Madeleine Liseblad.