Current PhD Students

Jack E. Appleman
Monroe, NY
B.A., Communication, Ohio State University
M.A., Journalism, Ohio University
Primary areas of interest: organizational communication and relationship of business writing efficacy 
Publications:
    10 Steps to Successful Business Writing (2008, ASTD Press)
    Convey your company’s professionalism, OfficePro (November/December 2012) 
    Persuasive writing, OfficePro (July 2012)
    Better writing can improve your bottom line, New Jersey Business (November 2011)
    Don’t let poor writing stifle company growth, Training & Development (October 2009)
    Writing instruction helps PR pros break through to the media, PR Tactics and The Strategist Online (August 16, 2006)
 

Victoria Barbeisch
Greene, NY
B.A., Communication Studies, Concentration: Public Relations and Advertising, Minor: Business Management, SUNY Cortland
M.A., Advertising, Concentration: Account Planning, The University of Texas at Austin
Primary area of interest: Communication Technology & New Media, 
   In progress work focuses on new media applications, impression formation, message and source credibility. Specifically, how signaling theory can be applied to evaluating source and message credibility in a predominantly visual platform (i.e. Instagram). Aims of this works examines the role of the sender's control to develop messages that will affect the impression formed by receivers.
Publications:
    Barbeisch, V., & Krishnan, A. (2022). Applying signaling theory to examine credibility and impression management on social media. Journal of Communication Technology, 5(2), 48-71. Link

 

Susie Burnett
Baldwinsville, NY 
B.A., Communication and Social Interaction/Health Science, SUNY Oswego
M.S., Community Health, SUNY Cortland 
Primary areas of interest: Health communication and public health 
Publications: 
   Curtis, J. N., & Burnett, S. J. (2016). Rape on campus: How EMS providers can help survivors and themselves in the aftermath of sexual violence. Journal of Emergency Medical Services, 41, 48-52.
    Curtis, J. N., & Burnett, S. J. (in press). Affirmative consent: What do college student leaders think about “Yes means Yes” as the standard for sexual behavior? American Journal of Sexuality Education. 
Current research: Post-traumatic stress in first responders and techniques to manage inevitable emotional labor; women's health and health education in Jérémie, Haiti; health-related needs of a non-governmental organization in Mangalore, India.
 

Chia-Heng Chang
Taipei, Taiwan
BFA, Communication Art, Fu Gen Catholic University, 2014
M.A., Cinema Studies, New York University, 2017
M.A.: Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies,  University at Albany, 2021
M.A.: Communication, University at Albany, 2021
Primary areas of interest:
   Gender, Sex, Sexualities, and Race Image Representation in Media
   Gender politics in Political Advertising
   Gender Stereotypes in Health Communication
   Health Issues in Political Communication
   Identities, Memories, and Social Constructions Constructed by Media
CV

 

Mary E. Christiano
Glenmont, NY
B.A., Rhetoric and Communication, University at Albany, 1991
M.A., Organizational Communication, University at Albany, 1993
Primary area of interest: organizational communication (political communication cognate)
    I am interested in how organizations perform their roles as citizens and leaders in their communities and how organizations fit and act within their communities to the benefit or detriment of both, examining this process through qualitative and analytic research.
Publications:
    "A Case Study in Public Relations – Normative movements and interest advocacy; Berkshire Medical System" (1993 Master's thesis)


Alana Elia
Albany, NY
B.A., Stony Brook University, Italian Studies, 2008
M.A., University at Albany, Communication, 2012
Primary area of interest: organizational and health communication
    For my dissertation, I am exploring how high school teachers at different high schools with varying levels of technological richness manage their work-life boundaries via information and communication technologies (ICTs), with a focus on how they bring their personal lives into the workplace. 
Publications:
    "Modeling Sociocultural phenomena in discourse" (2011)
 

Bryanna L. Hebenstreit 
South Setauket, NY
B.A., Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University at Albany
M.A., Communication, University at Albany
M.S., TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), University at Albany
Primary area of interest: I am primarily interested in how persons create meaning in talk, gesture, and through the objects they use and/or create as a matter of mundane, normally occurring interaction. Specifically, I am interested in the question of how emotion manifests, is utilized, and communicated in interaction. I use Ethnomethodology & Conversation Analysis as my methodological tool to ask questions and analyze data.
 

Shirley Jin
Shanghai, China
B.A., English Language and Literature, Shanghai Normal University
M.A., TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), University at Albany
Primary area of interest: Interpersonal/Intercultural Communication
    I currently study student-initiated sequence in the conventional teacher-front classroom environment, with the specific interest in what actions student-initiated sequence performs and accomplishes in regard to the instructional process.
 

Hyerim Jo
South Korea
B.A., Journalism and Mass Communication, Korea University, 2009
M.A., Journalism and Mass Communication, Korea University, 2011
Primary areas of interest: communication effects, political communication, health communication

 

Pallavi Khurana
Delhi, India
BJMC, Journalism and Mass Communication, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, India, 2006
PGD, Public Relations, and Corporate Communications, Xavier Institute of Communications, India, 2007
MBA, Marketing and Human Resources, Bangalore University, India, 2010
MA, Communication, University at Albany, SUNY, 2021
Primary areas of interest: digital communication, persuasion communication, new media technology, strategic communication, and brand communication
Conference Presentations: 
  Khurana, P., & Knight, T. (2020, October). Content analysis of athletic brand posts on Instagram. Paper presented at the 78th annual conference of the New York State Communication Association Convention. Virtual Conference. (Top Ph.D. Paper Award) 
  Krishnan, A., & Khurana, P. (2021, May). The effect of COVID-19 health messages, self-efficacy, and knowledge on prevention behavior: A third-person perspective. Paper presented at the 71st annual convention of the International Communication Association, Virtual Conference.
  Krishnan, A., Khurana, P., & Yang, F. (2021, April). Glued to the screen: individual differences in compulsive mobile phone use and mobile phone self-efficacy. Paper presented at the annual
convention of the BEA2021. Virtual Conference. (Top Paper Award; Interactive Media and Emerging Technologies Division) 
CV

 

Youyou Li
Beijing, China
B.A., English, School of English, Jiangsu Ocean University
M.A., TESOL Studies, School of Education, University of Leeds
Primary areas of interest: Interpersonal Communication / Intercultural Communication 
Publications:
  Youyou, Li. (2019) A present training situation of intercultural communicative competence in ELT by Chinese teachers at various schools in China. English on Campus. 3-4.
CV

 

Lin Lin
Shenzhen, China
B.A., Broadcast/TV Directing and Editing, Changchun University of Technology, China, 2009
M.A., Mass Communication – RTV, Arkansas State University, 2012
Primary area of interest: Organizational Communication, Social Support, Supportive Communication at Work, Work-Life studies
Current research: 
  My current research interests investigate the support seeking behaviors of women with Postpartum Mood issues upon returning to work. I am particular interested in how they activate support at workplace to cope with cross-domain stressors during the reentry period. I am also concerned about how does the (un)supportive communication in the workplace reshape the organization considering the Communicative Constituted Organization perspective. 
Conference Presentation:
  Lin, L., & Mata, O. (2019) The Barriers and Facilitators for Working Mothers with Postpartum Mood Disorders on Identity Reconstruction and Resocialization. Paper presented in the Organizational Communication Division at the International Communication Association (virtual conference) 2020. 
 

Siling Long
Guilin, China
B.A., Economics/International Business Economics, Foreign Trade University, 2016     
M.A., Education, Deep Institute, Wisconsin, 2018 
MBA, Human Resource Management Concentration, University of New Haven, 2021 
Research interests: Organizational Communication, Interpersonal/Intercultural communication 
 

Olivia Mata
Brooklyn, NY
B.A., Communication, University at Albany
M.A., Communication, University at Albany
Primary area of interest: My concentration in political communication research investigates the interactional, observable, and reportable activities of political actors in their situated political environments. Using conversation analysis, my research looks at speaker’s practices during politically-oriented interactions such as political debates and congressional hearings.
CV

 

Majbri Moncef
Astoria NY 
B.A., Journalism, Press Institute , University of Tunis, Tunisia, 1974
B.A., French language and literature,  Faculté des lettres, University of Tunis, 1974
M.A., Mass Communication, California State University, Fresno, CA, 1977
Primary areas of interest: Mass Communication, Social Media, Political Communication

 

Seulgi Park
Seoul, South Korea
B.A., English Literature and Linguistics, Seoul National University (Seoul, Korea), 2009
M.A., Conference Interpreting (Korean – English), GSIT (Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation), Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, Korea), 2011
Primary areas of interest:
            Health communication for immigration population
            Health literacy of immigrants
            Healthcare experiences of immigrant population with Limited English Proficiency
            Interpreter-mediated health communication for immigrant population
CV

 

Ericka Parks-Medina

 

Amanda Ruschak
Kingston, NY
B.A., Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations and a Minor in Sociology, SUNY New Paltz, 2015
M.A., Political Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London, 2016
Primary areas of interest: Critical Political Communications and New Media with a focus on the Politics of Subaltern Identity Formation, Latinx and Indigenous Identity and New Media, Critical Cultural Studies, Media Power.
Publications:
  Ruschak, Amanda (2014); "Live Well Kingston: A Nonprofit Public Relations Plan" In: Flayhan, Donna (2014). Public Relations Campaigns 101: Traditional and Social Media Strategies in a Liberal Arts Context
CV

 

Erting Sa
Kunming, China
B.A., English, Huaqiao University
M.A., Communication, University at Albany, 2014
Primary area of interest: interpersonal communication; personal relationship; communication and technology

 

James P. Snack
Hudson, NY
B.A., Theater, University at Albany
M.A., Communication, University at Albany
Primary area of interest: Organizational Communication & Leadership 
Primary area of interests: Communicative constitution of organizations (CCO), particularly the Montreal School of CCO, and discursive leadership, which takes a constructionist stance and views leadership as a practical accomplishment
Publications:
   Bencherki, N., & Snack, J. P. (2016). Contributorship and partial inclusion: A communicative perspective. Management Communication Quarterly, 30 (3), 279-304.

 

Dawn Sohns
Delhi, NY
B.S., Business Administration with a minor in Marketing & dual major in Communication, University at Albany
M.A., Communication (Organizational), University at Albany
Primary areas of interest: Organizational Communication with a focus on Strategic and Crisis Communication; Persuasion, Public Relations, and Advertising.

 

Alexandra Stankus
Albany, NY 
B.A., English, University at Albany, 2012
M.A., Communication, University at Albany, 2020
Primary areas of interest: Health communication, health and technology, health disparities, and health policy 

 

Yufeng Tian 
Shenzhen, China
B.A., Directing & Editing in TV Art Works, Communication University of China
M.A., Mass Communication, University of South Florida
Primary area of interest: Information processing, emotion, media psychology, and social neuroscience
Publications:
   Tian, Y., Zhang, X., Yamamoto, M., & Morey, A. C. (2020). Cynicism, insults, and emotions in the 2016 US presidential election: An affective intelligence framework. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 1-16.

 

Jamie Campbell Votraw 
Malta, NY
B.S., Communication Studies, SUNY College at Oneonta, 2010
B.A., Political Science, SUNY College at Oneonta, 2010
M.A., Communication, University at Albany, 2014
Primary are of interest: Political Communication
   I am interested in the relationship between politics, media and society. I explore how the mass media influence political opinions and how new media technology impacts political participation and engagement. For example, in previous research, I have examined social media as a tool for enhancing citizen engagement, the role of gender cues in political evaluations, educational programs that promote political open-mindedness, and how partisan stereotypes affect political discussion. For my dissertation, I am investigating the relationship between prolonged exposure to pro- and counter-attitudinal messages and attitude polarization, and the consequences of exposure to biased news on future media use behaviors.
Conference Presentations: 
   Morey, A.C., Votraw (Campbell), J., Hasan, S., & Romero, S. (2017, May). Decisions about political talk: Preferences and response times. Paper presented in the Information Systems Division at the International Communication Association, San Diego, CA.
   Campbell, J. & Levy, B. (2016, November). A hierarchical linear modeling analysis of “The Legislative Semester”: An experiential government educational program which promotes increased political open-mindedness in American youth. Paper presented in the Experiential Learning in Communication Division, Top Faculty Papers at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Philadelphia, PA.
   Campbell, J. (2015, November). The female gender: A cue for evaluating public policy proposals and policy sources. Paper presented in the Political Communication Division at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Las Vegas, NV. 
   Campbell, J. (2015). Social Media: A mechanism for citizen engagement with county-level governments in New York State. Paper presented at the annual conference of the NYS Local Government IT Directors Association, Saratoga, NY (2015, May); Paper presented at the annual conference of the NYS County Clerks Association, Lake Placid, NY (2015, June).  
Publications:
   Campbell, J. (2015). Counties using social media to promote citizen engagement. NYSAC News Magazine, Fall 2015, 30-31. 

 

Amy Williams
Syracuse, NY
B.A., English, Le Moyne College, 2000
M.S., Organizational Communication, Ithaca College, 2002
Primary area of interest: health communication, interpersonal communication and pop culture
    I am studying health communication from an interpersonal perspective; that is, I am interested in the way our relationships with friends, families, and healthcare providers affect our perceptions of health and the decision we make with regard to health. I am particularly interested in the role of social support in healthcare contexts, and how support is exchanged through communicative acts. Currently I am working on a project that looks at the way membership in an online community provides social support to women who are trying to conceive, are pregnant, or have recently become mothers. Additionally, I am studying the influence of health and illness narratives in popular culture on audiences. 


Diana Willis
Oneonta, NY (by way of Westchester County, NY) 
B.A., Media Studies, Hunter College of the City of New York
M.S., Ed. Early Childhood Education, Birth-Grade 2, Hunter College of the City of New York
M.S., Ed. Literacy Education, Hunter College of the City of New York
  I am interested in researching the intersections of new media and collective memory, the use of social media by food-focused communities, and how new media curate traditions, reinforcing personal, social, political, and cultural identities.
CV

 

Xuewei Zhang
Beijing, China
B.A., Advertising, Central University of Finance and Economics, 2016
B.S., Finance, Central University of Finance and Economics, 2016

 

Shuang (Sunny) Zhao
Nanning, China
B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing International Studies University, 2008
M.A., Communication, University at Albany, 2010
Primary area of interest: organizational communication
    I am interested in organizational identification in health care organizations; the relationship between external and internal communication in organizations; social media and organizational communication. My dissertation will focus on the use of social media to maintain and foster organizational identification in healthcare organizations.
Publications:
    "Achieving Coordinated Cancer Care Through Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration in Multidisciplinary Teams," 2011, pdf written for the Cancer Communication Research Center (CCRC)

Updated Aug. 30, 2023