Awards

 

View the 2024 National Awards Gallery

 

NCA’s annual awards will be bestowed on several distinguished members at the NCA 110th Annual Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. Below is the list of those who will be honored at the awards presentation.

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Teaching Awards

Donald H. Ecroyd Award for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education

Denise M. Bostdorff, College of Wooster

Dr. Denise M. Bostdorff, Professor of Communication Studies at The College of Wooster, has been described by students as “magic.” Dr. Bostdorff is lauded for their ability to engage students in the complexities of public discourse, including social justice, experiential learning, and service learning. Dr. Bostdorff instills a love for learning in their students that goes beyond the classroom. Dr. Bostdorff’s ability to identify student strengths to grow their intellectual skills regardless of the student’s background or level of preparedness is a key attribute of this year’s awardee.

Marcella E. Oberle Award for Outstanding Teaching in Grades K-12

DiArron M.

 Dr. DiArron M., educator at Redan High School, a Title I institution in Stone Mountain, Georgia, spearheaded the establishment of their forensics and debate team. Dr. M. introduced concepts such as "Nommo," the Colored Conventions, and the rhetoric and life of Georgian Henry McNeal Turner in AP US History. Notably, Dr. M. coaches athletes to effectively convey their messages to the media and public. Dr. M. volunteers their time to anything that drives student achievements and shares their knowledge, skills, and strategies with colleagues. Inspiring students through a commitment to high standards and quality education exemplifies the qualities of the Oberle Award.  

Michael and Suzanne Osborn Community College Outstanding Educator Award

Kirt Shineman, Glendale Community College

Kirt Shineman, Professor of Communication at Glendale Community College, has 29 years of teaching experience. Students describe Shineman’s lectures as a “tour de force,” earning him the 2022 NISOD Top Teaching Faculty Award and 2018 Exceptional Professor. Glendale’s administration appointed Shineman to lead the Faculty Evaluation Plan and Process (FEP). Additionally, he served as Technology Coach and Practice Consultant for LaunchPad, Canvas, and Blackboard Learning Management Systems in Arizona. Shineman’s dedication to forensics led to multiple national and international championships and recognition as one of the top community colleges. These outstanding contributions along with others embody the Osborn Award.

Wallace A. Bacon Lifetime Teaching Excellence Award

Steven Beebe, Texas State University

Dr. Steven Beebe, Regents’ and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas State University, has significantly informed the way we think about and teach communication across the globe over a 50+ career period. He has lectured throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America, created lasting curriculum changes in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Pyatigorsk, and is a Visiting Scholar at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Dr. Beebe's additional expertise in C. S. Lewis also granted students study abroad opportunities. Dr. Beebe earns the trust of students, makes them “feel something,” and demonstrates unmatched preparedness for the classroom. Dr. Beebe demonstrates a lifetime of distinguished teaching, impacting the lives of countless students.

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Scholarship Awards

Bernard J. Brommel Award for Outstanding Scholarship or Distinguished Service in Family Communication

Jordan Soliz, University of Nebraska Lincoln

Dr. Jordan Soliz, Professor of Intergroup and Family Communication at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, has made an invaluable impact on the next generation of family communication scholars. Publishing over 80 scholarly works, Dr. Soliz sustains a line of research in understanding family dynamics, identity, and difference. As editor of the Journal of Family Communication, Dr. Soliz fostered ongoing dialogue between authors and reviewers, facilitating their growth and helping them produce their best family communication scholarship. Dr. Soliz also advised 17 doctoral students and has been recognized with 15 awards for teaching and service. Dr. Soliz embodies the spirit of the Bernard J. Brommel Award through high-impact scholarship, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to advancing family communication.

Charles H. Woolbert Research Award

Ascan Koerner, University of Minnesota & Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, University of South Carolina

For the article, “Toward a Theory of Family Communication” published in Communication Theory in 2002.

The winner of the 2024 Charles H. Woolbert Research Award goes to Dr. Ascan Koerner, Professor & Associate Dean at University of Minnesota, and Dr. Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean of the Faculty (interim) at University of South Carolina, for their 2002 Communication Theory article, “Toward a Theory of Family Communication.” Among several exceptional nominations all with profound impact on the discipline, Dr. Koerner and Dr. Fitzpatrick’s article emerged as the top candidate owing to the endurance of family communication pattern theory, the generative impact of the theory on the field of family communication, and the far-reaching impact of the theory across several subfields of the discipline.

Diamond Anniversary Book Award

Phaedra Pezzullo, University of Colorado Boulder

For the book, Beyond Straw Men: Plastic Pollution and Networked Cultures of Care published by the University of California Press in 2023.

In her comprehensively researched, powerfully theorized, and cleverly titled monograph, Dr. Phaedra Pezzullo connects the ubiquity of the plastic straw to the trope of empty strawman argument to capture the paradox of the plastics industry and anti-single-use-plastic waste activism. Tuning into the complexities of a plastic world (e.g., the intersection of plastic and care), Dr. Pezzullo articulates nuanced forms of political organizing in a global context. Tracing the geopolitical, racial, colonial, gender, and economic inequities in both waste and in purist arguments, Dr. Pezzullo elucidates a model for political solidarity based on “impure politics,” an imperative for scholars interested in environmental communication, global communication, social movements studies, and media studies.

Donald P. Cushman Memorial Award

Emily Mendelson and Megan Jacobs Farnworth, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

For the essay, “Disclosure-Related Social Support and Reappraisals as a Result of Sharing Abortion Experiences with Close Others.”

Essay Submitted by the Interpersonal Communication Division

With the U.S. Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion, disclosing abortion experiences has become even more tenuous. While the legality is now varied, Emily Mendelson and Megan Jacobs Farnworth’s paper demonstrates the importance of providing non-stigmatizing responses to those disclosing abortion experiences. Employing nuanced conceptual frameworks in communication theory, this paper illustrates the necessity of such disclosure in helping to support those dealing with the stressors of the experience. Impressive methodological and theoretical rigor, as well as the unique perspective and ever-important – and increasingly prominent – subject matter of this study make the authors especially deserving of this honor.

Douglas W. Ehninger Distinguished Rhetorical Scholar Award

Andre Johnson, University of Memphis

Dr. Andre Johnson, Professor of Rhetoric and Media Studies at the University of Memphis, has a noticeable and convincing impact on rhetorical studies through presence and encouragement that extends beyond conventional academic networks. Dr. Johnson’s work is adventurous, groundbreaking, and trailblazing. They examine oratory with an eye toward religious discourse, rhetorical appeals, and worldmaking. Apart from prolific scholarship, Dr. Johnson also mentors students through various means including, but not limited to, co-authorship. Moreover, Dr. Johnson’s work with the Colored-Conventions Project, public-facing appearances, and research distinguishes their undeniable influence on rhetorical studies.

Franklyn S. Haiman Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Freedom of Expression

Bradford Vivian, Pennsylvania State University

For the book, Campus Misinformation: The Real Threat to Free Speech in American Higher Education published by Oxford University Press in 2023.

Campus Misinformation: The Real Threat to Free Speech in American Higher Education, by Dr. Bradford Vivian, is a meticulously researched and expertly analyzed examination of one of the most pressing contemporary threats to free speech. Through in-depth case studies of college and university controversies surrounding free expression, Dr. Vivian critically evaluates the current assault on and misconceptions of free speech in academia, and offers comprehensive, bipartisan correctives. By achieving this balance, Dr. Vivian advances scholarship on free speech while demonstrating its real-world applicability.

Gerald M. Phillips Award for Distinguished Applied Communication Scholarship

Amy Shirong Lu, Northeastern University

Dr. Amy Shirong Lu, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies of the College of Arts, Media and Design and in the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences of the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University, has expanded the boundaries of health communication. Dr. Lu’s scholarship explores the power of narratives in interactive communication technologies informed by an interdisciplinary and community-engaged approach in the greater Boston area. This program of research has been supported by an impressive record of securing external grant funding and demonstrates great promise in shaping the future of health communication, community-engaged, and applied scholarship at large.

Gerald R. Miller Outstanding Dissertation Award

E. Chebrolu, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

For the Dissertation, “Modular Whiteness: A rhetorical analysis of racial anxiety and the imageboard vernacular of 4chan’s /pol/” completed at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Dr. E Chebrolu’s dissertation, "Modular Whiteness," offers a sophisticated and provocative account of the emergence of white nationalist rhetoric on the imageboard 4chan. The dissertation brilliantly illustrates how digital posting habits on the far-right platform managed white racial anxiety and stoked fantastical enjoyment of racial crises. Fearlessly descending into the digital mirror world, this project sheds light on how the seething undercurrents of white nationalist fantasies register with broader political anxieties of white racial replacement, making Dr. Chebrolu especially deserving of this year’s Gerald R. Miller Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award.

Brianna Cusanno, East Tennessee State University

For the Dissertation, "Exploring the Risk Narratives of Transgender People Engaged in Do-It-Yourself Hormone Replacement Therapy" completed at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Brianna Cusanno, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies & Storytelling at East Tennessee State University, provides a compelling exploration of health inequities faced by the transgender community in the voices of members of that community in their dissertation, “Exploring the Risk Narratives of Transgender People Engaged in Do-It-Yourself Hormone Replacement Therapy.” It skillfully addresses how systemic barriers and gatekeeping in medical systems push some transgender individuals to seek alternatives like DIY HRT. By utilizing a feminist new materialist lens, the research broadens the concept of "risk," intertwining the personal with the socio-political. The innovative "risk narrative diagramming" method pioneered in the dissertation offers a novel approach to analyzing qualitative data. Dr. Cusanno’s dissertation significantly enriches the discourse on health risks and self-determination in marginalized communities.

J.J. De La Cruz, Penn State University

For the Dissertation, "Communicating Outness: Studying self-disclosures of LGBTQ+ identities in coming-out conversations" completed at Penn State University.

Dr. J.J. De La Cruz’s dissertation, “Communicating Outness” provides distinctive and timely insight into how LGBTQ+ individuals communicate in coming out interactions. In doing so, Dr. De La Cruz builds upon existing theories of communication and of sexual and gender minority identity development. The dissertation is also multi-methodological, as open-ended questions about coming out experiences inform an ambitious 4-wave longitudinal survey design. This work is particularly notable for its attention to the dynamic, iterative, and ongoing nature of coming out, offering insights into both the psychological and social outcomes of self-disclosure. Furthermore, Dr. De La Cruz’s research moves beyond the strictly theoretical, providing practical insight and guidance for disclosers and their confidants.

Global Communication Award

Mohan Dutta, Massey University

Dr. Mohan Dutta, Dean's Chair and Professor of Communication at Massey University, explicates the elisions comprising communication studies through theoretical and political contributions across scholarship, teaching, and service to the field. Dr. Dutta has challenged, not just the structural domination of the metropole in how the field has coalesced but continues to trouble what constitutes the “Global South” by highlighting the different hierarchies that the term glosses over. Dr. Dutta evinces a deep commitment to social justice as a transnational project and has assiduously worked to forge ethical ties across different geopolitical terrains. Thus, Dr. Dutta’s work continues to inspire scholars from marginalized communities, exemplifying the qualities of this award. 

Golden Anniversary Monograph Award

Joe Hatfield, University of Arkansas

For the article, “In Moments of Shame in the Figural History of Trans Suicide,” published in Cultural Studies in 2023.

“In Moments of Shame in the Figural History of Trans Suicide” by Dr. Joe Hatfield, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas, adeptly centers an analysis on a marginalized group, taking great care to address the concerns of groups further marginalized because of race, class, and other intersectional categories within this population. Combining historical analysis, cultural studies, and queer theory, this article sheds light on the systemic issues of transphobia, shame, and necropolitics that contribute to the alarmingly high rates of suicide within transgender communities. This article will significantly advance dialogue and scholarship around issues of power, gender, and oppression.

James A. Winans - Herbert A. Wichelns Memorial Award

Phaedra Pezzullo, University of Colorado Boulder

For the book, Beyond Straw Men: Plastic Pollution and Networked Cultures of Care published by the University of California Press in 2023.

Beyond Straw Men is a nuanced and expansive exploration of global activist networks of care that have emerged to challenge plastic pollution. Dr. Pezzullo provides a detailed analysis of contemporary protest across national borders, pushing the field of rhetoric toward new horizons, and highlighting connections to masculinity, colonialism, and neoliberalism. An insightful understanding of environmental movements compels readers to complicate their own views and participation in the plastic industry, offering substantive critiques informed by Dr. Pezzullo’s demonstrative expertise. Beyond Straw Men is integral to the study of environmental rhetoric and social movements.

James L. Golden Outstanding Student Essay in Rhetoric Award

Morgan Thoem, University of Georgia

For the essay, “Quilting Brutality: Critical Textual Construction and the Ideographic American Flag.”
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Lisa Corrigan, University of Arkansas
Dr. Hope Stallings Willoughby, Berry College
Dr. Matthew A. Delzer, Berry College

Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the Blue Lives Matter movement and its “thin blue line” iconography have become ubiquitous in the American South. This paper interrogates how the cultural conversation on police brutality coalesces around the American flag as a visual and material ideograph whose analysis necessitates a nontraditional, mixed-methodological approach. Drawing from Quilting as Method (Arellano, 2022), Thoem designed and fabricated a quilt which reimagines the American flag as a symbolic and ideological foil to the “thin blue line” and raises crucial questions surrounding marginalization and inaccessibility in academic discussions of race.
 

Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award

Noor Ghazal Aswad, University of Alabama

Dr. Noor Ghazal Aswad, Assistant Professor of Political Rhetoric at the University of Alabama, presents a nuanced project that aims to provide marginalized communities access to rhetorical research. Dr. Ghazal Aswad is a leader in and model for community-engaged research—seeing the research process as incomplete until it has reached the audiences it intends to empower. Moreover, Dr. Ghazal Aswad proposes to communicate with groups whom our field might otherwise never contact. Dr. Ghazal Aswad’s career is only beginning, yet the impact of this awardee’s work is already reshaping the academic and rhetorical landscape, providing a complex picture of radical rhetoric, decolonization, and care.

Leslie Irene Coger Award for Distinguished Performance

Melanie O’Meara, Augusta University

With an impressive 20-year career in performance studies, Dr. Melanie O’Meara, Associate Professor in Augusta University’s Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Departments of Communication and Art and Design, has significantly contributed to the discipline on stage, in scholarly publications, and through dedicated service to the field, community, and students. Of note, Dr. O’Meara’s extensive experience includes the successful direction of a festival for over a decade. The awardee’s unwavering commitment to advancing performance scholarship and fostering community engagement highlights their exceptional impact and leadership. Dr. O’Meara’s accomplishments and contributions underscore their deserving recognition for lifetime achievements in performance studies.

Lilla A. Heston Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Interpretation and Performance Studies

Shane Moreman, California State University, Fresno

Dr. Shane Moreman, Professor at California State University, Fresno, is a distinguished, impactful scholar in performance studies. With an extensive publication record, this awardee advances academic discourse and inspires young artists by fostering intellectual curiosity. Innovative integration of performance studies with organizational communication and disability studies sets Dr. Moreman apart as a versatile and cross-disciplinary thinker who has significantly influenced the direction of contemporary scholarship, in part through service on the Text and Performance Quarterly editorial board. Publishing accessible and engaging research on Hmong and Latinx lived experiences, Dr. Moreman has amplified marginalized voices in and beyond the discipline.

Mark L. Knapp Award in Interpersonal Communication

Kathryn Greene, Rutgers University

Dr. Kathryn Greene, Professor of Communication at Rutgers University, has advanced interpersonal communication throughout her 30+ year career through expansive and widely applicable contributions. Dr. Greene’s scholarship is rigorous and impactful, carving out a niche in interpersonal communication that is both theoretically and practically generative. Notable achievements include the development of the health disclosure decision-making model and a line of information management research that examines the influence of stigma and risk on disclosure processes, especially within marginalized communities. Furthermore, Dr. Greene frequently works with community and clinical partners (and is often funded by national grants) to understand the role of communication in healthcare-oriented decision-making.

Marsha Houston Award

Shardé M. Davis, University of Connecticut

Dr. Shardé M. Davis, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and faculty affiliate of the Africana Studies Institute and the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP) at the University of Connecticut, is recognized for their strong scholarship, service, and inclusivity. Embodying a critical examination of social justice issues, diversity/inclusion and equity, Dr. Davis’s research supports the tradition of the African American feminist thought. Moreover, Dr. Davis consistently demonstrates commitment to developing scholarship and research, teaching, service, and advocacy to the academe and local communities, making them especially deserving of this honor.

Orlando L. Taylor Distinguished Scholarship Award in Africana Communication

Tina Harris, Louisiana State University

Dr. Tina Harris, Douglas L. Manship Sr.-Dori Maynard Race, Media, and Cultural Literacy Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University, is most deserving of the Orlando L. Taylor Distinguished Scholarship Award in Africana Communication. Demonstrating an understanding of the intricacies and complexities of marginalized and underrepresented populations, Dr. Harris has tirelessly contributed to the body of research examining intra-racial communication. Moreover, their scholarship had both immediate and sustained impact, further highlighting Dr. Harris’s commitment, significance, and enduring contribution to the study of African American and African Diaspora communication and culture.

Stephen E. Lucas Debut Publication Award

Reed Van Schenck, IE University

For the essay, “‘Remaking the World Memetically’: Interrogating White Nationalist Subject Formation through the Circulation of the ‘Wagecuck’ Meme” published in Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies in 2023.

Dr. Reed Van Schenck’s essay offers a compelling look at an unconventional but rhetorically potent case study. Dr. Van Schenck’s analysis is thorough, examining the complex rhetorical implications of the titular meme’s images, text, and circulation. Dr. Van Schenck also expertly weaves together an array of insights from scholars in visual rhetoric and critical race theory to advance the essay’s exploration of online discourse that manipulates race, gender, and class anxieties to promote white supremacy. The essay’s detailed and rich analysis, theoretical rigor, and valuable contributions to the field of Communication make it a worthy recipient of this award.

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Service Awards

Everett Hughes Holle Award for Social Justice and Community Engagement

Khadijah Costley White, Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Dr. Khadijah Costley White, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers University, researches race and gender in media and politics, by producing, collecting, and sharing research using film, audio, and media-centered installations. "This is Not a Drill" focused on the traumatizing impact of frequent school shooter drills and premiered online and in an art gallery exhibition. Dr. White is also the executive director of SOMA Justice, a non-profit advocating for racial and social justice, has had scholarship featured in The New York Times, Slate, and The Atlantic, and consults with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, advising on films such as Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali.

Robert J. Kibler Memorial Award

Marina Levina, University of Memphis

Dr. Marina Levina, Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Memphis, has served and led both NCA and the broader discipline for over 20 years. Holding a variety of leadership positions, Dr. Levina highlights significant issues of our times while mentoring others and engaging with other professional communities. Dr. Levina has articulated several inclusion-based goals for Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies as current editor-elect, including a special issue on Indigenous cultural studies; forum sections on antisemitism and Islamophobia, and mobility; and promotion of critical disability studies. Without a doubt, Dr. Levina leads by giving voice to and honoring those typically invisible in our scholarship and society.

Samuel L. Becker Distinguished Service Award

Christina S. Beck, Ohio University

Dr. Christina S. Beck, Professor in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University, is a highly recognized, quintessential scholar-citizen and epitome of the Samuel Becker Award. In 22 years, Dr. Beck has held association presidencies and editorial board positions, chaired dissertations and theses, been a journal editor and book reviewer, and published and edited 13 books and 55 chapters and articles. Dr. Beck’s anti-bullying work, including the award-winning Routledge Handbook of Communication and Bullying, enjoys continued impact in and beyond the field, influencing numerous think tanks, workshops, panels, and events on the topic.

David T. McMahan, Missouri Western State University

Dr. David T. McMahan, Interim Department Chair and Professor of Communication at Missouri Western State University, is characterized by their impactful public service, inclusive leadership, and effective communication. As demonstrated in leadership roles such as past President of NCA and the CSCA, and current Executive Editor of The Global Listener, Dr. McMahan is a mission-driven scholar advocate. Dr. McMahan has authored scores of book chapters, journal articles, and scholarly reviews, as well as a renowned textbook, Communication in Everyday Life (5th edition). Their ongoing commitment to the mission of NCA and its members is an impressive record of academic and professional service.

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IDEA Awards

IDEA Engagement Award

Myra Washington, University of Utah

Dr. Myra Washington, Assistant Vice President for Faculty Support at the University of Utah, promotes inclusion, diversity, equity, and access through community outreach. Activating scholarship through service on non-profit association boards, Dr. Washington provides students with hands-on experience in practical application of IDEA principles and organizes events like the 2023 State of Utah Black Affairs Summit. An example of many visibility efforts, Dr. Washington amplifies the voices of the Korean/American community in Salt Lake City and continues to be a vocal administrator advocating policies that encourage inclusion and diversity despite the precarious state of such initiatives in contemporary academia.

IDEA Scholarship Award

Ronald Jackson II, University of Miami

Dr. Ronald Jackson II, Distinguished Scholar and Past President of NCA, has contributed extensively and vitally to scholarship in Identity, Diversity, Equity, and Access. Producing six books, 11 edited volumes, and numerous articles and book chapters has had an immeasurable impact on scholars studying such topics as African American Communication, Black masculinity, and cultural identity. At the first in-person NCA convention after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent world-wide Black Lives Matter protests, Dr. Jackson’s 2022 Carroll Arnold Lecture, “Antiracism and the Complexity of Woke Politics,” brilliantly framed the possibilities of IDEA scholarship and its contributions to our future.

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Distinguished Scholar Award

Sonja K. Foss, University of Colorado Denver

Dr. Sonja K. Foss, Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver, has profoundly impacted the field over her decades-long career. Since joining NCA in 1972, Dr. Foss has published 11 original books and over 70 articles, including Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice and Feminist Rhetorical Theories, championing diverse voices and perspectives. Dr. Foss’s influential work in invitational rhetoric challenges traditional notions of persuasion, fostering inclusivity and empathy. As a co-founder of the Visual Communication Commission of NCA (now the Visual Communication Division), Dr. Foss has established visual rhetoric as a legitimate area of study, expanding the discipline’s scope. Additionally, through resources like Destination Dissertation and Scholars’ Retreats, Dr. Foss has empowered countless students to navigate their doctoral journeys.

Srividya Ramasubramanian, Syracuse University

Dr. Srividya Ramasubramanian, Newhouse Endowed Chair Professor at Syracuse University, is a preeminent scholar in media and social justice. With an impressive portfolio of 141 publications, Dr. Ramasubramanian ranks among the top 2% of scientists cited globally. Dr. Ramasubramanian has received 46 awards (e.g., IDEA Scholarship, Gerald M. Phillips Distinguished Applied Comm Award, Kibler Award, and Presidential Citation) and the International Communication Association’s highest honor of Fellow status and the Applied/Public Policy Award. Dr. Ramasubramanian’s community-focused initiatives and mentorship of 138 graduate students exemplify dedication to fostering future scholars and the vital connection between rigorous research and social advocacy.

Gust A. Yep, San Francisco State University

Dr. Gust A. Yep, Professor of Communication at San Francisco University, is recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to the field of human communication. With a career rooted in intersectionality, Dr. Yep has significantly advanced our understanding of queer intercultural communication, trans studies, and the complexities of identity. Dr. Yep’s career reflects a series of firsts including being among the earliest researchers in the field (over 20 years ago) introducing “transing” and “queerness” as theoretical constructs. Beyond their academic contributions, Dr. Yep is known for their kindness and support, inspiring colleagues and students alike. Dr. Yep’s career reflects a commitment to “the complexity of human existence” and the importance of our discipline.

Steven R. Wilson, University of South Florida

Dr. Steven R. Wilson, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of South Florida, has made impactful contributions to the field over a 30-year career. Dr. Wilson’s research on interpersonal communication, particularly difficult conversations and resilience, has produced over 70 articles and garnered nearly 6,500 citations. Dr. Wilson’s community-engaged scholarship includes collaboration with the Indiana National Guard to support military families. As co-editor in chief of Human Communication Research, Dr. Wilson advances diverse scholarship within the field. A dedicated mentor, they have guided numerous doctoral students, many achieving significant recognition.

Shiv Ganesh, University of Texas Austin

Dr. Shiv Ganesh, Professor of Communication at the University of Texas Austin, is a pioneering figure in communication studies, renowned for their transformative scholarship at the intersections of organizational, international, and environmental communication. With four books, 38 journal articles, and 27 book chapters, Dr. Ganesh's work reinvigorates and reimagines social movement theories, bringing critical perspectives to the forefront. Dr. Ganesh’s scholarship has received over 4,500 citations and more than two million dollars in grant funding. Dr. Ganesh has been a vital mentor to doctoral students worldwide, embodying the spirit of international collaboration. Dr. Ganesh’s commitment to engaged scholarship bridges academia and activism, making them a vital force in advancing communication studies globally.