Research and Scholarship

I have a passion for the field of Communication because of the great value of research and contributions to developing an understanding of human behavior and conditions. Communication research is exciting and there exist many types of concentrations to focus on. While the primary focus of this web site is to serve as a portal, I'd like to share some of my interests and current projects in the academy.

In some of my graphic and web designs, my approach is theory-based and research driven. Good design should effectively communicate a message(s) through tailoring and careful research; although some of my research holds grounds in design & development, it also explores other projects. My experience/education had a strong foundation based on the importance of working with theoretical frameworks and past successful research to explore and improve.

My primary research interests include e-health, new media and technology, and looking at the different methods that humans use to communicate health issues. This includes health campaigns, how managed care (either self or accompanied) is changing with the deployment of new technologies..I also find that research on developing culturally-sensitive health messages and campaigns is interesting, and definitely crucial if success is to be met. I am also interested in occupation and work roles in contemporary society. Given the rapidly-changing nature of recent technologies, it is interesting to explore what changing work roles mean for self-identity and the ease/difficulties with which work roles are communicated and even developed.

Some of the current projects I am working on include the following:

• A rhetorical analysis of fantasy imagery and text-based content present in pro-eating disorder (ED) web sites. This research identifies fantasy content as both a contemporary trend as well as being rooted in historical developments (special attention being given to Victorian-era content; e.g. Talairach-Vielmas, 2007). This work is to be presented at the OSCLG conference in October, 2008!
• Identity and self-representation of web professionals on the Internet. Specifically, the gender gap between men and women professionals is identified and analyzed, focusing on a select set of female professionals. Rooted in Giddens' (1976, 1984) Structuration theory, the method for this research began with a content analytic approach by coding categories based on criteria present within given web sites. Upon numerous revisions, this project developed into qualitative work that seeks to uncover individual identity and open dialogue for professionals. My personal reserach project outlining these issues is going to be presented at the OSCLG conference this year.
• Cancer communication and social support; private support networks and the utilization of technologies to mobilize care-giving and share updates on the well-being of patients. At the root of these interests is the significance of the types of communication that are created/re-created through tightly-knit private networks and the type of discourse that emerges. I hypothesize that the care-giving and sharing of updates on a patient's well-being become partly relied upon the type of network and nature of the group and its discourse. Additionally, I explore the types of friendships and methods of coping with the illness that either emerge or are communicated within the group. Yet when care-giving ceases, what happens to the group-- does communication continue? What changes occur within the group dynamics? to assist in caregiving, paying attention to the language used, means, looking at distance, skills, etc.
• Recently, I worked on the "Show Us Your Heart" campaign for Purdue University/Gift of Life Michigan. I initially developed prototype designs, based on my own design style and previously successful designs used in other campaigns, the designs went from prototype to actual development acting as visual representation in the campaign. This intense work required a multitude of concepts customized for certain demographics within the state of Michigan. Designs focused on research-driven concepts for a variety of media: print posters, counter mats, clerk cards, mini-posters, and billboards that are present throughout several parts of Michigan.