UNLV Communication Studies Department

Dr. Emma Bloomfield's newest book, Science vs. Story, is featured by UNLV today! https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/battle-public-understanding-storytelling-scientists-best-tool?fbclid=IwAR1PNJ6C5MUeYlQGhUUq7xqmaH4YVWqBvFih0FWUsQiJVwL_p6XymmyksB0

In the Battle for Public Understanding, Storytelling is a Scientist's Best Tool Communication studies researcher Emma Bloomfield explains why storytelling needs to be used to better explain science.

One of the COM department's newest classes, Corporate Scandal, is on the UNLV website today--check out what the class is about!

The Course: The Corporate Scandal UNLV Urban Affairs class prepares students to navigate emergency situations from a crisis communication perspective.

Check out this write up on Dr. Jeff Child's COM 400: Communication Theory course! https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/course-human-communication-theory?utm_source=unlvtoday&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=unlvtoday-20240307&fbclid=IwAR3nEO32KjVmYEEMFQbvgFvobdTzBPmGo4H7orQg-HxQ8ogp_SMav_5nHG0

The Course: Human Communication Theory Our issues with communicating, explained.

UNLV COM students! We have 3 scholarships available--please apply at the QR code below!

We had a great time at the Western States Communication Conference and graduate fair this weekend! See you next year in Albuquerque -- and if you are applying to our MA program, the deadline is March 1st! https://www.unlv.edu/communicationstudies/graduate-program

We are hiring a Professor/Chair for the UNLV Communication Studies department! Please pass along to anyone interested!

https://nshe.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UNLV-External/job/UNLV1-Maryland-Campus/Professor-Chair--Department-of-Communication-Studies--Greenspun-College-of-Urban-Affairs--R0133158-_R0133158

Interested in pursuing a graduate degree in Communication Studies at UNLV? Join us for virtual information session on February 23rd from 4-5pm to chat with the graduate college and our graduate coordinator to learn about the benefits of getting a masters degree, and how to pay for college. You can use the QR code below, or follow this link to register: https://www.unlv.edu/event/communications-ma-information-session

The Department of Communication Studies at University of Nevada, Las Vegas invites candidates for a senior hire at the level of Associate or Professor in Rhetorical Studies to begin August 2022. We seek an established rhetoric scholar with expertise in one or more of the following areas: digital, science and technology, and/or environmental/resilience communication. We're looking for a scholar whose research has practical, pragmatic, and problem-solving applications. Successful applicants will teach upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses in their area of expertise and maintain an active research program.

UNLV is hiring an assistant/associate professor of organizational communication. See the below link for full job information and please share!
https://nshe.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UNLV-External/job/UNLV1-Maryland-Campus/Organizational-Communication--Assistant-Associate-Professor--Communication-Studies--College-of-Urban-Affairs--R0126728-_R0126728

Organizational Communication, Assistant/Associate Professor, Communication Studies, College of Urban Affairs [R0126728] The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) appreciates your interest in employment. We ask that you keep in mind the following when completing your application:   Once you start the application process you cannot save your work. Please ensure you have all required attachment(s) available to comple...

What works in long-distance relationships? We've got a class that answers that question, and it's taught by Se ior Lecturer, Jenny Farrell, who's also a UNLV Comm Studies graduate! Check out the story here: https://bit.ly/38rIhuU

The Interview: Jenny Farrell UNLV alumna and lecturer explores what works in long-distance relationships.

We are so excited to announce the opening of the COM Lab! The COM Lab offers students an opportunity to practice public speaking and develop their communication skills in a comfortable and private setting with experienced coaches.

The key to success in any speech is practice. The COM Lab is a wonderful place for you to get help with your major speeches, ask questions, practice, and receive feedback. The COM Lab is a collaboration between the Department of Communication Studies and UNLV's Academic Success Center.

We have drop-in hours on the 4th floor of Greenspun Hall and in the Academic Success Center, including our new Whisper Rooms that offer a soundproof private environment in which you can practice and even record your speech. The COM Lab offers student drop-in hours Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. You can check hours of availability and make appointments using the COM Lab google calendar link below. You can also make an appointment by calling the Academic Success Center at (702) 895-3177. The COM Lab also accepts walk-ins on a first come, first served basis. https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/selfsched?sstoken=UUxhY19fWkNQQlNWfGRlZmF1bHR8NzFjYWJhYTFjMWQ0ODQ1NDc5ODIzNzEzM2JiNjY1OTQ

Dr Natalie Pennington of The University of Nevada: “5 Things I Learned From The Social Isolation… An Interview With Phil LaDuke

Need a course for Fall 2021? Consider COM 418: Rhetoric of Science!

Congratulations class of 2021!

Congratulations graduates!
You’re simply the best!





(Left to right: Communication Studies Professor Jacob Thompson holds the board with the word “you’re. UNLV TV studio staff point to the word “simply,” UNLV Communication Studies Department Professor Rebecca Rice holds a board with the word “the;” and Communication Studies Professor Jenny Farrell holds the sign with the word “best.”

We're searching for an Assistant Professor in Residence to serve as our Basic Course Director. Check out the job ad below for more info... Please consider applying to join our amazing team of scholars and teachers in UNLV's Department of Communication Studies!

Communication Studies, Assistant Professor-in-Residence/Basic Course Director, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs [R0124453] - HigherEdJobs Jobs in higher education. Faculty and administrative positions at colleges and universities. Updated daily. Free to job seekers.

Today meet instructor William Hoffman, who is teaching Health Communication this summer!

1) What is your research and/or teaching about?

Health communication best describes my research concentration. Overall, this research focuses on using a communication approach to examine the impact of communication adjustments (subtle or overt shifts in speech and nonverbal behaviors) and social identity in structured health care settings such as medical offices, treatment centers, or pharmacies. In the future, it would be interesting to look at the roles of culture and family communication on health-related decisions and behaviors.

This is my second semester teaching at UNLV. Over the past year, I have taught several remote courses, including intercultural communication, nonverbal communication, communication theory, conflict resolution, and health communication.

2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer?

This summer, I am looking forward to teaching health communication once again (COM 314, Summer 3)! This course can have several positive impacts on local communities and in public health campaigns related to COVID19 and several other serious health topics. It is my view that by drawing on our expertise, health messages can be refined in a manner that improves the social and clinical aspects related to human health.

3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas?

UNLV is regularly ranked at the top in terms of diversity. It is my view that diversity is fundamental to the vitality of universities and the aims of education. As an educator, I try to design assignments around bringing in diverse perspectives and experiences into class discussions.

4) Do you have any pet pictures you are willing to share with us?

Lucy is an 11-year old chihuahua-corgi from Hawaii who enjoys napping and eating my dinner if I look away, but is basically a calming presence in times of stress as well.

Dr. Jacob Thompson is teaching COM 321: Political Campaign Debates this summer!

1) What is your research and/or teaching about?

My research and teaching focuses on argumentation, persuasion, and political campaign debates (often referred to as "presidential debates"). I'm also the head coach for the UNLV Debate Team.

2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer?

COM 321--Political Campaign Debates, because it's a class that I really care about, and that students seem to really get a lot out of... It examines the history and communication strategies used in televised political campaign debates from their inception in 1960 to the present day.

3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas?

I love the smart, passionate, and dedicated folks with whom I work, and I love the diverse, interesting, and driven students in my classes. UNLV is a special place that is always improving and becoming a better version of itself, and I'm very happy to be a part of that process.

4) Do you have any fun facts for us?

One of the highlights of my time at UNLV has been working on the third presidential debate of 2016, which was hosted right here on the UNLV campus. Seeing that process up close and, and being a part of the debate was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I'll never forget. I also managed to get a selfie with the Reverend Jesse Jackson that night (swipe to see!).

Lecturer Lindsey Tegano is teaching Interpersonal Communication this summer! More info below:

1) What is your research and/or teaching about?
I teach a variety of the basic courses in Communication Studies. I've taught Oral COM (COM 101) and Intro to IPC (COM 102) since 2012! Now, I also teach Intro to COM Research Methods (COM 212).

2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer (course number and session please!) and why is it exciting?
I'm excited to teach Intro to Interpersonal Communication (COM 102 1002 in Summer 3), because this course is constantly growing and improving to meet students' interpersonal communication needs. We even have a journaling assignment on social distancing!

3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas?
I love the innovative spirit and resilience of Las Vegas and the UNLV community. And the food! Vegas has some of the best restaurants in the world.

4) Do you have any fun facts or pet pictures you are willing to share with us??
Fun fact: I was the Palo Verde High School Panther mascot in 2002.
These are our dogs, Handsome and Stinker, in their Halloween costumes.

Lecturer Stephanie Willes is teaching COM 408 Rhetorical Criticism this summer! Check it out!

1) What is your research and/or teaching about? The bulk of my research is on anti-vaccine narratives and digital rhetoric. This research is particularly important right now with so much vaccine hesitancy in the larger population. My teaching focus is in rhetorical theory. I teach an introductory rhetoric course, COM 211, which exposes students to the foundations of rhetoric beginning with the classical theorists and moves into more contemporary times. In this class students learn to build arguments, persuade, and apply rhetorical theory to media artifacts, social movements, and symbols they see and hear in their everyday lives.

2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer and why is it exciting? I am SUPER STOKED to be teaching COM 408 Rhetorical Criticism in Summer Session 3. This course is exciting because rhetoric is in so many aspects of our lives and learning how to evaluate and critique the world around us through a critical rhetorical lens provides students with a new in depth framework to look at societal structures, culture, and identity (and really so much more!). We will immerse ourselves in pop culture, music, music videos, social media, films, memes -- all the fun things. Join me :)

3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas? I love the diverse population of UNLV and Las Vegas, more broadly. Diversity is our strength and together we have built a strong community of young academicians and scholars who are better equipped to have relationships and build careers in our multicultural society. The social capital we are building at UNLV is unparalleled and I am so grateful and honored to be teaching such a cultured and welcoming student body.

4) Do you have any fun facts? I have held many titles in my life. So, If I told you I was once a rodeo queen, a professional physique competitor, a snowboarder, or a wakeboarder, which do you think isn’t true?

A flexible and redesigned COM 101 helped to pave the way for a successful UNLV transition to online learning! We are grateful to our faculty and GAs who worked hard to get COM 101 ready to go for a great online student experience! 🎉

Early Adopter Showed the Way for Hybrid Courses Oral communication proved to be a benchmark as courses shifted online at the start of the pandemic.

Jenny Farrell is teaching COM 302: Relational Communication this summer! Here she is in action recording some summer videos! Scroll to learn more:
1. I am interested in long-distance romantic relationships, and especially our perceptions of "distance" in close relationships. (Spoiler-alert! I think occasional distance is wonderful for our relationships and autonomy!) My classes focus on all things interpersonal communication- with an emphasis on our closest relationships.
2. For the very first time, I am offering two sections of COM 302 this summer in session 2! This online IPC class focuses on Relational Communication. We cover all the juicy stuff: attraction, secrets, love, lust, s*x, cheating, conflict, deception, jealousy, forgiveness, break-ups and make-ups. This class will fill up fast!
3. I am a sun-worshipper, so my favorite thing about Vegas is the sunshine. Gimme that vitamin D! I've lived in other states and overseas, and there is nothing like the purple and orange streaked sky of a desert sunset.
4. My fur child Dangit is an 11 year old super snuggly basset hound who will follow me to the ends of the earth. And a few years ago we adopted a now 27-year-old desert tortoise, Dandy, that is currently hibernating in his den in my backyard. (He loves the sun more than I do- I wish I could hibernate through the cold weather with him!).

Dr. Natalie Pennington is teaching COM 332: Online Relationships this summer! Check out more info below!

1) What is your research and/or teaching about? I am really interested in how we use technology as a way to communicate within our various relationships (e.g., friends, family, coworkers). Most recently I have studied things like how we use technology to relieve stress during the pandemic, how we navigate our political engagement online across different relationships, and the benefits and drawbacks of maintaining large networks of friends online. Besides relationships and technology, I also regularly teaching courses in research methods (both qualitative and quantitative), because I think a good foundation in methods goes a long way in obtaining your topic-based research goals.
2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer?
I always love the summer because I get to teach my favorite class-- COM 332: Online Relationships. I am teaching the course in summer session one, and it is really a skills-based class that asks: how can we effectively communicate online as a way of building, sustaining, and/or ending relationships? My favorite assignment in the class has students actually go and do things online to experience different forms of communication (e.g., join a reddit community, seek out support from friends through two different types of technology). There are a few seats left if you are still looking for a class this summer!
3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas? I'll do both-- I really miss Rebel Grounds, the coffee shop in hospitality hall. I love that UNLV supports students through hands on engagement with the community, and this felt like a good example of that-- plus they made one of my favorite cold brew coffees I've ever had. In terms of Vegas, I love being able to get out and explore the surrounding desert and mountains with my husband and dogs, it is a great way to refresh each weekend before the school week starts back up.
4) Do you have any pet pictures you are willing to share? Here is a picture of me, my husband, Joe and our two dogs— Piper and Bacobi, we recently did part of the “Cassidy Trail” named for Butch.

Next up, meet instructor Sarah Schiffman! Learn about summer class offerings and stay for the dog picture!!

1) What is your research and/or teaching about? My teaching is based on an approach to meet students where they are at, utilizing a growth mindset, and highlight the value of the skills we are learning to student's personal, professional, academic, and civic life.

2) What is a class you're excited to teach in summer (course number and session please!) and why is it exciting?
I teach Com.101, which I love. I am excited about the course because it helps people find their voice and use it effectively to talk about things that matter to them. I help students share their unique gifts with the world and it's an honor.

3) What's your favorite thing about UNLV or Vegas?
I love the UNLV campus. It's an urban oasis and a happy place for me personally. I went to undergraduate and graduate school there and have taught on campus for years and it brings back happy memories of my time as a student and instructor. I love Vegas for the ability to be active outdoors many months of the year. I also appreciate the concert and Asian food scene in Las Vegas, so many gems!

4) Do you have any pet pictures you are willing to share with us?? I have two tiny dogs, Bernice and Roscoe. Here is a picture of them about to take a flight.

Dr. Natalie Pennington’s research appears in Time Magazine this week! Check it out: https://time.com/5946658/why-video-calls-leave-us-lonelier-and-more-stressed/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=ideas_&linkId=113451271

Congratulations to Jenny Farrell, Just promoted to Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies🎊She is the first lecturer in the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs to be promoted to Senior Lecturer! Way to go Jenny❕🎉🎊

What’s next on our summer course schedule? Meet Dr. Donovan Conley!

1. What do you research and teach? My scholarship can be summarized as "sugar and screens." I examine the imperceptible influences that shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in normal, everyday contexts. "Sugar" represents work I've done on the rhetoricity of food and taste, and "screens" represents more recent forays into "digital tech." The food system wreaks havoc on our bodies, with all kinds of public health and environmental implications; and the digital ecosystem wreaks havoc on our subjectivities, resulting in the kinds of political upheaval witnessed in recent months.

2. What are you teaching this summer? This summer I'm teaching two sections of our upper division class, The Rhetorical Tradition (COM 409). I enjoy the challenge of finding points of relevance and usefulness between ancient rhetorical concepts and contemporary problems and concerns; like teaching Plato in reference to the contemporary Pixar film, Soul, to explore questions of meaning and purpose and identity today. Studying rhetoric's ancient past is worthwhile only to the extent that it still speaks to our moment, which is the built-in challenge, and the fun, of teaching that class.

3. What’s your favorite part of Vegas?Having been at UNLV since 2004, my favorite thing has been watching the University grow into a dynamic, Tier One research institution that is also a major player in our local and state economy. The medical school is something we can all be extremely proud of in that regard. As for Las Vegas, the answer is simple: Chinatown is my absolute favorite part of the city, hands down, no question.

4. Tell us a fun fact! My middle name is Sean, and yes it was inspired by the late great Connery: Sean Connery.

Today’s faculty and summer class feature is Dr. Emma Bloomfield!

1. What do you teach and research? My research focuses on environmental and science communication from a rhetorical perspective. I teach courses in rhetorical theory, rhetorical criticism, persuasion, and the rhetoric of science.

2. What are you teaching this summer? I'm excited to be offering COM 318: Audience-Centered Communication for the first time in Summer 1 2021. It is exciting because all messages have audiences, intended or unintended, sympathetic or hostile, so learning more about audiences and strategies for adapting messages to them can make us all stronger communicators.

3. What’s your favorite thing about Vegas? My favorite thing about Vegas is the variety of experiences it offers. In a single day, one can be hiking in Red Rocks Canyon, grabbing a delicious meal in Chinatown Plaza, and then heading Downtown for a show (pre-pandemic, of course!).

4. Do you have any pets? I'm a cat mom of 2 - Ada and Izzy.

Faculty spotlight! Meet our faculty and check out the classes they are offering this summer. Today, meet Rachel Allen!

1) What do you teach? I teach COM 101 and COM 104. 101 is the oral com course and 104 is critical thinking in public argument. I love teaching students the skills required to practice agency and engage with their community.

2) I'll be teaching both COM 101 (session 2) and COM 104 (session 3) this summer. I enjoy teaching COM 101 in the summer because students see a more rapid progression with the oral com skill as opposed to fall/spring because it's more fast-paced. Along with that, I feel as if the fast nature of summer courses allows students to build a sense of camaraderie with their classmates because they are engaging with them on a more consistent basis.

3) What do you love about Vegas? This one is kind of different and a result of me living towards the edge of town rather than in the middle of the valley, but I like the fact that the city is located in a valley. When you venture the edges of town with the mountains, you're able to see how beautiful the strip is from a birds-eye perspective, especially at sunrise or sunset. If you enjoy hiking, you should check out Lone Mountain on the northwest side of town because it has the most beautiful view of the city from the top.

4) Do you have any pets? I have a Lhasa Apso named Zoee and she's adorable and loves to bark (which drives me nuts)!

Rachel Allen, M.A. | People | University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rachel Allen (B.A., UNLV and M.A., UNLV) is a visiting instructor who teaches public speaking. Her research focuses on rhetorical uses of public memory and student activism on UNLV’s campus.

Today in the UNLV news center: Dr. Natalie Pennington shares 10 takeaways from research about the impact of our online world during COVID-19 on stress, loneliness, and relationships.

Check it out: https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/call-me-maybe-unlv-study-probes-how-people-connected-during-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR11EIyKSFWXStGztav8-BC2cgUPDyZeDJnQviJwbbdgVZDaBQKAvb7eS2Y