News

Lynn Comella, Ph.D., '04
Alum Returns to Share Research on the Business of Pleasure
Apr 9, 2018

Lynn Comella, Ph.D., associate professor of gender and sexuality studies in the Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, visited the Department of Communication this semester to deliver a talk titled “Sex Toys & Social Entrepreneurship: The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Sex-Positive Capitalism & Cultural Production.” Comella, who graduated from the PhD program in 2004, has done extensive research that stretches across the field of sociology.

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Alena Vasilyeva
Professor will improve teaching methods through Lilly Fellowship
Apr 5, 2018

Alena Vasilyeva, assistant professor of Communication, has been selected as one of the 2018-19 Lilly Fellows for Teaching Excellence at the University of Massachusetts.

The Lilly Fellowship is a competitive program that enables promising junior faculty to cultivate teaching excellence in a special yearlong collaboration, and is awarded through the Institute for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development (TEFD). 

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Chris Gardner '89
Comm Graduate's Career Path and Impact on SBS Students
Mar 22, 2018

As a communication major, Chris Gardner ’89, wasn’t entirely sure what direction he wanted to go with his degree. At the time of his graduation he was confronted by an economy that was weakened by the previous year’s historic Black Friday stock market crash, the national debt had reached an all-time high of 3.7 trillion, and economic growth was slowing down.

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7th Annual Comm Student Showcase
Mar 5, 2018

The 7th annual Communication Student Showcase and Awards. By submitting your work, you will have a chance to be recognized by faculty, peers, and alums. The ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 17 in the ILC Comm Hub at 5 PM. We will celebrate Comm majors' many forms of achievement and expression. Categories include Audio-Visual, Civic Engagement/Community-based Work, Original Research, Speech and Performance, and Writing. 

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Jonathan Corpus Ong, associate professor
New Study by Comm Prof Investigates the Fake News Production and Social Media Troll Industries in the Philippines
Feb 12, 2018

Jonathan Corpus Ong, associate professor of communication, and researchers at the University of Leeds (U.K.) have released a new research report that sheds light on the network of digital workers designing political disinformation campaigns, authoring fake news and fanning the flames of public discontent in the Philippines.

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Shawn Shimpach, Ph.D.
Comm Professor Shares His Love for Film
Oct 29, 2017

A Comm professor will be at the helm of the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival (MMFF) as it enters its 25th year. Shawn Shimpach, Ph.D., associate professor in the Communication department, has been appointed director of the MMFF. Shimpach, a self-described cinephile, who calls it a “sweet assignment,” will be curating the events, organizing the screenings, and coordinating with guest speakers and filmmakers.

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Popular Culture Enthusiasts Will Converge on UMass Campus this Month
Oct 10, 2017

The Northeast Popular Culture Association (NEPCA) will hold its upcoming conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Professor Marty Norden of the Communication Department is this year’s program chair. He is working alongside recently retired UMass Amherst history professor Rob Weir, NEPCA’s longtime executive secretary and treasurer.

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Time Wise, The Great White Hoax Film Screening
Film Screening Fosters Lively Discussion
Oct 2, 2017

Faculty, staff, and students gathered in the Integrative Learning Center this semester, for the premiere screening of the film The Great White Hoax. The film features acclaimed anti-racist educator and author Tim Wise, who discusses the intersectionality between race and class in American politics. Wise explores how American political leaders of both parties have been tapping into white anxiety, working to divide and conquer working class voters and shore up political support.

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