Communication Faculty Achievements in Research and Innovation
Published: November 14, 2024 | Author: Clare-Estelle Perkins | Read Time: 3 minutes
The Department of Communications at Southern Utah University (SUU) has been busy with recent accomplishments from its faculty. Faculty members have been contributing groundbreaking work to journals and collaborative projects, showing the department’s commitment to advancing the study of communication and related disciplines.
Dr. Kevin Stein, director of the Masters of Arts in Professional Communications Program and professor of communication, and Dr. Matt Barton, department chair and professor of communication, alongside co-author William Benoit, recently published Persuasive Attack: Threatening Reputations in Public Discourse through Peter Lang. This groundbreaking book explores the intricate dynamics of persuasive communication, offering a critical framework for understanding how rhetorical strategies can influence public perception and discourse.
Dr. Hayden Coombs, professor of sports communication, has made several academic contributions this year. Together with Dr. Braden Bagley, he published an article in the Journal of Higher Education, Athletics, & Innovation that delves into social identity complexity among international student-athletes. Additionally, Dr. Coombs authored a chapter for a book written by SUU Vice President Dr. Jared Tippets and Dr. Eric Kirby, focusing on higher education retention strategies, specifically addressing how coaches and administrators can better support student-athletes.
He is also contributing to the upcoming Encyclopedia of Sports Management with Dr. Stein, Dr. Barton,Dr. Bagley, and Professor Bill Kershisnik covering a total of 21 topics. This fall, Dr. Coombs and Dr. Bagley's grounded theory on Division I student-athlete perceptions of resource inequities will be featured in the Journal of Emerging Sports Studies.
Dr. Lijie Zhou, associate professor of professional communication, ended this summer with two notable publications. His paper on charitable birthday wishes, published in the Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, expands on the theory of planned behavior. In a separate article for the International Journal of Marketing, Communication, and New Media, Dr. Zhou explores the impact of temporal distance and message concreteness in Facebook ads, emphasizing the moderating effects of social distance.
In addition to these accomplishments, Dr. Zhou has been involved in an exciting interdisciplinary experiment. Collaborating with researchers from the Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation at SUU and the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Dr. Zhou and the team are conducting a study on virtual and real-world walking using a range of advanced equipment from SUU’s Visual Communication Research Lab. This groundbreaking project stands as a testament to the lab’s integration of sports communication with visual communication research.
Dr. Jon Smith, professor of communications, has been busy with his continued success in the world of documentary filmmaking. The documentary Born to Ride: Cody Wright and the Quest for a World Title, which Smith co-produced with Lee Byers back in 2009, was recently screened at The Center for the Arts at Kayenta. The screening follows Cody Wright, a Milford, Utah resident and professional saddle bronc rider, through a year of intense rodeo competition, culminating with him winning a national title in Las Vegas. The film went on to win The Cowboy Oscar (Wrangler Award) from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for Best Documentary in 2009, and it was screened or received awards at over 12 other film festivals.
The Southern Utah University Communication Department provides opportunities for its students to apply the principles, theories, and research related to human communication, organizational communication, marketing communication, mass media, and social media in situations that simulate the professional world. Our student-centered environment cultivates ethical behavior, superior communication skills, leadership abilities, intercultural competence, and critical thinking.
Tags: College of Humanities and Social Sciences Communication FacStaff Academic
Contact Information:
Nikki Koontz
435-586-5400
nikkikoontz@suu.edu