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Philosophy of the Ph.D. Program

The evolution of communication technologies and digital information systems has narrowed traditionally held differences among the academic disciplines represented within CCI. The College of Communication and Information provides a unified structure that promotes research, teaching, and application of the social-scientific, humanistic, critical, visual communication and psycho-social principles of communication and information in the digital age.

CCI is one of only a handful of similarly organized colleges of communication and information in the United States. As such, it can be an academic leader in research, teaching, and application related to changes in the information and communication landscape and can enhance Ohio's response to the growing information economy.

Collaboration by faculty members across traditional disciplinary lines is the key to the success of CCI and its component schools. Such interdisciplinary groundwork was laid in the years leading up to the establishment of the CCI doctoral program. Examples of such work include projects in: media use and effects in changing media environments, patterns of use of digital media, health information literacy, information usability, information architecture, wayfinding in the physical and digital environments, and visual communication. These research and creative projects also provide a foundation for the blending of established theoretical and research paradigms in the component schools. They suggest the need for development of new or hybrid paradigms and methods that capture more fully the information and communication practices in a digital environment.

The development of a convergent doctoral program is consistent with other instructional and curricular innovations in the college. At the baccalaureate level, a cross-disciplinary concentration—Applied Communication, housed in the School of Communication Studies—was approved in 2005. In addition, students pursuing undergraduate majors in one of CCI's baccalaureate degree-granting schools are required to take one or more courses from the other two schools. At the Master's level, the interdisciplinary M.S. program in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management has been offered since 2001.

Curriculum Philosophy

The College of Communication and Information doctoral curriculum provides exposure to theoretical fundamentals in both communication (broadly defined to include mass communication and journalism as well as other communication specialties) and in information science. In order to emphasize and facilitate interdisciplinary study within CCI, the doctoral program is administered through the college office rather than any its the constituent schools. The program of study begins with an interdisciplinary core and then leads to specialization in either a traditional single discipline or an interdisciplinary focus according to each student's interests. In fact, specialization after the core is expected, as long as grounding in the foundations of both communication and information is present. The program is receptive to intellectually innovative students who plan to create new and different combinations of these disciplines in their programs of study.

Goal of the Ph.D. Program

The goal of the College of Communication and Information's Ph.D. program is to develop each scholar's ability to generate knowledge by conducting, analyzing and presenting research in one or a combination of the CCI disciplines. Each scholar will demonstrate achievement of this objective through:

• Creating a critical analysis and synthesis of existing research,
• Mastering techniques for data collection and analysis,
• Identifying research questions that need to be answered,
• Designing, implementing and reporting independent research, and
• Constructing a personal research agenda.

Mission of the Ph.D. Program

The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in the College of Communication and Information (CCI) is:

• To explore the convergence of theoretical and research models from the college's component schools,
• To promote the development of new or hybrid models appropriate to information and communication practices in a digital environment, and
• To realize the advantages of interdisciplinary collaboration within the College of Communication and Information.

This program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in research, teaching and administration in the rapidly converging fields of communication and information through a prescribed core of interdisciplinary courses and approved selection of additional coursework within and across disciplines.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is research-oriented. The goal of the Ph.D. program in Communication and Information is to develop doctoral scholars’ ability to generate knowledge by conducting and publishing research in their areas of expertise. Students and faculty in CCI are participating in many exciting research projects.  Whether interdisciplinary or within traditional disciplinary bounds, as part of a research team or working alone, CCI researchers seek to expand our understanding of the world around us.

Faculty in the CCI Schools

See the list of full-time faculty in the College of Communication and Information. For more information about individual faculty members, see the school specific websites.

Graduate assistantships are available to qualifying applicants. Contact Miriam Matteson, PhD. if you’re interested in a graduate assistantship. 

Michael Bowen

he/him/his
mtbowen@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Media, Technology and Society

My research focuses on how people experience and reflect on time, one of our most valued resources, and how it is spent with media and technology. Specifically, I am exploring the ways in which we can discern and understand time well spent within the 'attention economy', as opposed to time that may be squandered and later regretted.

My advisor is Dr. Michael Beam. I also continue to work full time for Spotify as a Principal Quantitative User Researcher.

L.P. Coladangelo

he/him/his
lcoladan@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Knowledge Organization

I am studying domain modeling and knowledge organization systems for intangible cultural heritage, information representation of folk traditions, and how semantic technologies can support cultural heritage safeguarding and transmission. Overall, I am interested in the relationships between language, meaning, storytelling, representation of ideas, and knowledge building.

My advisor is Dr. Marcia Lei Zeng.

Matthew J. Craig

he/him/his
mcraig27@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Interpersonal Communication>

My research focuses on Human-Machine Communication and privacy management and disclosure. Specifically, I seek to understand how humans communicate identity and negotiate privacy when interacting with and through communicative AI in addition to computer-mediated communication contexts.

My advisor is Dr. Jeffery T. Child.

See more about me, my research, and up to date information for where I’m presenting next on my website:

Theorose Elikplim Dzineku

she/her/hers
tdzineku@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study: Emerging Media, Technology, and Journalism

I am working at the intersection of Technology, New Media platforms, Journalism, and Journalism Education. My research explores how journalism education institutions in Africa are using social media platforms like Clubhouse, Twitter Space, and TikTok for example in educating and training students. I am also enthused and interested in learning about how new generative AI can be applied in local newsrooms for news production. I have an interest in research work that explores AI and social media effects, local journalism, and Journalism education.

I am a research assistant to Dr. David Silva and Dr. Andrea Lorenz.

Harrison LeJeune

he/him/his
hlejeune@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Media, Technology, and Society

I am studying mass media and political communication, specifically how mass media is used to manufacture public consent for policy.

I am working as a research assistant for Dr. Teddy Workneh, Dr. Paul Haridakis, and Dr. Danielle Coombs.

Samuel Noi

he/him
snoi@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Health, Technology, and Society

I study health communication and its emerging technology in dealing with some of the health and health communication challenges. My research focus is about examining digital health communication technologies or applications in tackling some of the health issues that have bedeviled society. This is to mitigate the effect of damages borne out of delays in the use of communication technology in the healthcare sector.

I am working with Dr. Tang Tang and  Dr. Egbert-Scheibelhoffer Nichole.

Personal Website:

 Guilherme Pedrosa Quintela

gquintel@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Interpersonal Communication

I study the relationship between organizations, sports and transmedia communication. My research focuses on understanding new trends in sports organizations' communication and how it affects the manner these organizations interact with society in many ways, such as economically, technologically, culturally and communicatively. I am also studying fandom, sports political economy, media and sports cultures, media practices of fans, protests and activism in the sports field, gender and sports and sports journalism. I also participate in two research groups in Brazil: Coletivo Marta - Research Group in Communication and Sports Culture (UFMG) and Dialorg (PUC Minas).

I am currently working with Dr. Tang Tang and Dr. Danielle Sarver Coombs. 

Madison VanWalleghen

she/her
mvanwall@kent.edu 

Primary Field of Study Area: Communication and Identity

My research examines how we develop and communicate about our identities, both as individuals and part of a group, based on identity discourse in various forms of media. Specifically, I aim to serve underrepresented communities at the intersection of sports, race, and gender, and share their stories of self.

My advisor is Dr. Cheryl Ann Lambert.

Adam Whiteside

he/him/his
awhites3@kent.edu 

Primary Field of Study Area: Interpersonal Communication

I am currently studying discourse around gender, sex, and sexual violence within global and interpersonal contexts. I primarily am concerned with what impact dominant gender scripts have on sexual relations for young people (18-25). I also have also explored how history, socio-economic factors, culture, and mass media discourse potentially influence our understanding of sexual violence in other part of the world (e.g. India and South Africa).

My advisor and researcher I am working with is Dr. Suzy D’Enbeau.

Connor Wilcox

he/him/his
cwilcox4@kent.edu 

Primary Field of Study Area: Media, Technology, and Society

I am focused on the intersection of culture, identity, and music. More specifically, I aim to explore the complex ways music-based subcultures construct knowledge, circulate meanings, and negotiate identities through communication. As a discipline, communication offers me an ideal set of theoretical tools for breaking apart and better understanding these nuanced social interactions and patterns.

My advisor is Dr. Cristin Compton.

Monique Wingard

she/her/hers
mwingar2@ kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Media, Technology and Society

I am a member of the Coalition for Independent Tech Research and will be studying how social media propagates hate speech and impacts intergroup relations. My research will also focus on automated journalism and the effects of AI authorship.

My advisor is Dr. Tara Conley.

Chengyuan Yu

he/him/his
cyu15@kent.edu

Primary Field of Study Area: Human Information Behavior

With degrees in Applied Linguistics and Library and Information Studies, I am studying the relationship between language and human information behavior from both cognitive and social perspectives. Specifically, I seek to understand the nature of multilingual speakers' information literacy practice and cross-lingual information retrieval, with the aim of helping them seek, organize, and process information in academic and non-academic settings.

Elaine Yuen

she/her/hers
yyuen@kent.edu 

Primary Field of Study Area: Cultural Heritage Informatics

I am studying cultural heritage informatics, especially in setting up and telling stories of artifacts. My research focuses on connecting and applying innovative design to preserve cross-culture in the east and west with my fashion and costume design background.

I am working as a research assistant for Dr. Karen Gracy.