...featured on Faculty and Student Technology (FAST) talking about technology in the 286 classroom.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Kellas and Dr. Breshears on Recent Awards
Kellas Awarded Arts & Sciences Enhancing Research Excellence Grant
Dr. Jody Koenig Kellas was awarded a UNL College of Arts & Sciences Enhancing Research Excellence Grant for Fall 2012. These grants are designed to assist faculty members in their research, scholarship, and/or creative endeavors to help them start, move forward, or complete a well-defined research project. The program is aligned with the UNL Chancellor’s ambitious goals of increasing research productivity and external funding for research and scholarly activities. This is the inaugural year of this program and only four awards were made in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Recent Ph.D. graduate wins award and post-doc position
Diana Breshears (Ph.D. 2011) has been awarded a competitive post-doctoral position at the University of Pretoria (South Africa) Department of Educational Psychology. She will be studying the school experiences of children with lesbian and gay parents and designing materials and/or workshops, based on her findings, to help schools create a more supportive environment for same-sex parented families. Dr. Breshears was also awarded the Sandra Petronio Dissertation Award from the Family Communication Division of the National Communication. This is the 8th year of the Petronio Award and UNL doctoral graduates have won half of the awards!
2012 – Diana Breshears (University of Nebraska)
2011 – Elizabeth Munz (Purdue University)
2010 – Naomi Kagawa (University of Minnesota)
2009 – Carla Fisher (Pennsylvania State University)
2008 – Karla Bergen (University of Nebraska)
2007 – Meredith Marko Harrigan (University of Nebraska)
2006 – Rene Dailey (University of California, Santa Barbara)
2005 – Paul Schrodt (University of Nebraska)
Friday, August 31, 2012
5 Questions With Graduate Teaching Assistant Sarah L. Jones
1. How did you spend your summer?
I travelled to the Sophia Smith Collection (SSC) Archives in
Northampton, MA on a Friends of Smith College Libraries Fellowship. The
collection is internationally recognized and has been compiling various resources
for over 65 years resulting in over 650 collections of archival material. I
lived there for five weeks and visited the archives every weekday to research
the International Women’s Tribune Centre (IWTC). During this time, I studied
over 5,000 documents across 34 boxes. As the collection itself is
currently holding 120 boxes with more expected this Fall, I anticipate another
research trip to see what treasures are still waiting.
2. How does the archive fit into your dissertation project?
My dissertation brings together research from the fields of Rhetoric and Public Culture and Organizational Communication. Now defunct, the IWTC originated as the planning committee for the 1975 International Women’s Year Tribune in Mexico City. For over 35 years, the IWTC has worked with local and global organizations and individuals around the world to promote equality, development, and peace. The lifeline of this organization catalogued in its internal and public messages traces a number of important transitions of the last quarter of the 20th century. I am utilizing the archival documents to trace an understanding of peace that moves beyond the narrow, military definition of not fighting. Building peace, I argue, is essentially a rhetorical activity Toward that end, the IWTC holdings point to questions about the role of women in peacebuilding and strategies for negotiating peacekeeping in local and global spheres. The second consideration blends into another aspect of my dissertation: local-global rhetorical dynamics. The IWTC straddled working with international organizations such as the United Nations and local groups such as the Women of Uganda Network and unaffiliated volunteers. By studying this organization, I aim to illuminate the interacting discourses and power dynamics at play as principal participants navigated local and global goals and affiliations. In constructing a rhetorical and organizational history of the IWTC, my dissertation traces not only the organizational forms of the group, but also a rhetorical history of peace and local-global discourses.
My dissertation brings together research from the fields of Rhetoric and Public Culture and Organizational Communication. Now defunct, the IWTC originated as the planning committee for the 1975 International Women’s Year Tribune in Mexico City. For over 35 years, the IWTC has worked with local and global organizations and individuals around the world to promote equality, development, and peace. The lifeline of this organization catalogued in its internal and public messages traces a number of important transitions of the last quarter of the 20th century. I am utilizing the archival documents to trace an understanding of peace that moves beyond the narrow, military definition of not fighting. Building peace, I argue, is essentially a rhetorical activity Toward that end, the IWTC holdings point to questions about the role of women in peacebuilding and strategies for negotiating peacekeeping in local and global spheres. The second consideration blends into another aspect of my dissertation: local-global rhetorical dynamics. The IWTC straddled working with international organizations such as the United Nations and local groups such as the Women of Uganda Network and unaffiliated volunteers. By studying this organization, I aim to illuminate the interacting discourses and power dynamics at play as principal participants navigated local and global goals and affiliations. In constructing a rhetorical and organizational history of the IWTC, my dissertation traces not only the organizational forms of the group, but also a rhetorical history of peace and local-global discourses.
3. What was the most exciting thing you found in the archives?
I am still analyzing the documents that I gathered. SSC allows researchers to take digital photographs of documents as long as the pictures are documented and do not use a flash. By the time I left, I had taken over 4,000 photographs. Thus far, I am most energized by the organizational life cycle the IWTC progressed through over its life. Established by a UN resolution, the organization’s purpose and actions were guided by that mandate and its planning obligations. Following the Mexico City Tribune, the group was flooded with letters requesting follow-up information about women’s issues and organizations around the world. After responding to these requests and transitioning from typewriters to Word Processors, the IWTC began calling itself an “information clearinghouse”—writing newsletters and compiling information contributed from readers into booklets such as “Appropriate Technology Resource Book for Women.” By the end of their timeline, the IWTC not only compiled and produced information for women, but members also coordinated local projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Looking at this chronology, I was struck by the shifting organizational forms that evolved in tandem with digitization. The IWTC transitioned away from a clearinghouse model to a responsive and participatory organizational form, a move that parallels how Communication Studies has drifted away from thinking about communication as a mere conduit for information exchange and towards richer, more dynamic models.
I am still analyzing the documents that I gathered. SSC allows researchers to take digital photographs of documents as long as the pictures are documented and do not use a flash. By the time I left, I had taken over 4,000 photographs. Thus far, I am most energized by the organizational life cycle the IWTC progressed through over its life. Established by a UN resolution, the organization’s purpose and actions were guided by that mandate and its planning obligations. Following the Mexico City Tribune, the group was flooded with letters requesting follow-up information about women’s issues and organizations around the world. After responding to these requests and transitioning from typewriters to Word Processors, the IWTC began calling itself an “information clearinghouse”—writing newsletters and compiling information contributed from readers into booklets such as “Appropriate Technology Resource Book for Women.” By the end of their timeline, the IWTC not only compiled and produced information for women, but members also coordinated local projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Looking at this chronology, I was struck by the shifting organizational forms that evolved in tandem with digitization. The IWTC transitioned away from a clearinghouse model to a responsive and participatory organizational form, a move that parallels how Communication Studies has drifted away from thinking about communication as a mere conduit for information exchange and towards richer, more dynamic models.
4. What was the hardest part about the archival experience?
I found the overall archival experience to be enlightening and enjoyable. I travelled by myself and lived somewhere new with people I have never met. I had fun exploring Northampton’s shops and farmer’s market. My walks to and from campus provided a great time for a mental debrief to create a plan for the day and sort out my thoughts afterward. While I was there to accomplish a research goal, I did not anticipate how alone I would be. During the day, the library archives are quiet as people work. While I lived with three other people, our schedules never quite matched up. I was caught off-guard by this, but I sent some friends and family postcards from SSC, talked to them on the phone and via email, and tried to feel connected by posting photographs of Northampton on Facebook. In the future, I think I will use these strategies and perhaps even set up a social schedule—phone dates with specific people at specific times.
I found the overall archival experience to be enlightening and enjoyable. I travelled by myself and lived somewhere new with people I have never met. I had fun exploring Northampton’s shops and farmer’s market. My walks to and from campus provided a great time for a mental debrief to create a plan for the day and sort out my thoughts afterward. While I was there to accomplish a research goal, I did not anticipate how alone I would be. During the day, the library archives are quiet as people work. While I lived with three other people, our schedules never quite matched up. I was caught off-guard by this, but I sent some friends and family postcards from SSC, talked to them on the phone and via email, and tried to feel connected by posting photographs of Northampton on Facebook. In the future, I think I will use these strategies and perhaps even set up a social schedule—phone dates with specific people at specific times.
5. Do you have any advice for future archival researchers?
When conducting archive research, logistics are important. Find out if the collection is processed and talk to the archivist about the organization of the holding. If it is not fully processed, then finding aids may not be available and if they are, they may not be complete. This was the case with the IWTC holdings. At SSC, I sat down on my first day with the first box listed. I went through every document in every folder and made notes about what each document was. This first box took the longest, but by the end I felt as though I was embedded in the collection. Moving on to subsequent boxes, I knew the format that different types of documents took, the kind of paper they were on, and whether or not they fit into my research agenda. This allowed me to progress through future boxes more efficiently (and I think effectively).
When conducting archive research, logistics are important. Find out if the collection is processed and talk to the archivist about the organization of the holding. If it is not fully processed, then finding aids may not be available and if they are, they may not be complete. This was the case with the IWTC holdings. At SSC, I sat down on my first day with the first box listed. I went through every document in every folder and made notes about what each document was. This first box took the longest, but by the end I felt as though I was embedded in the collection. Moving on to subsequent boxes, I knew the format that different types of documents took, the kind of paper they were on, and whether or not they fit into my research agenda. This allowed me to progress through future boxes more efficiently (and I think effectively).
After developing this
kind of familiarity, I recommend making a plan. Considering the size of the
collection, your plan may have varying degrees of specificity. First, look at
the finding aids and rank the boxes as best you can (considering whether the
collection is processed or not). Divide these rankings into tiers based on
priority. I had four groupings: need to get through, love to get through, could
get through, probably not helpful. The first tier contains documents that speak
to topics specific to my research. Going down tiers, the likelihood that these
topics are present decreases. The boxes in my last category contained documents
such as correspondence between the IWTC and individuals asking for copies of
booklets and newsletters that are in boxes in the higher tiers.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Speech & Debate Team Wins At AFA-NIET Nationals
The Speech & Debate Team just returned from the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament-one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year. Some highlights, from Director of Speech and Debate Aaron Duncan:
Overall, UNL placed 8th out of 83 schools. UNL was the top placing school in the Big Ten at the tournament. This is the 17th year consecutive year that UNL has placed in the top 20 at the AFA-NIET.
UNL advanced 12 events to outrounds (the top 24 advance in each event and event sizes range from 130-150 students), 4 of those events advanced to semi-finals and, three of those events advanced to finals.
Sophomores Jesse Sladky (Wahoo, NE) placed 6th overall in Communication Analysis and Josh Planos (Omaha, NE) placed 5th overall in Program Oral interpretation.
Senior Nick Herink capped off one of the strongest individual careers in UNL Speech & Debate history by WINNING the National Championship in Program Oral Interpretation. Senior Nick Herink placed 17th overall in Individual Sweepstakes (out of about 500 competitors). Prior to the start of the tournament senior Nick Herink was named to the AFA-NIET All-American Team. Team members are chosen based on academic performance, community service, and success in speech and debate.
Watch Nick learn he has won the national championship below:
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
UNL Speech & Debate Follows Big 10 Championship with Nebraska State Championship!
The University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s speech and debate team were named the state champions this past weekend at the Nebraska Intercollegiate Forensic Association’s State Tournament, Feb. 18 hosted at the University of Nebraska - Kearney. This accomplishment is especially meaningful as the state fielded four of the nation’s top 20 teams in 2011.
UNL won the speech tournament with 123 points, the University of Nebraska-Omaha placed second with 109.5 points, and Hastings College placed third with 54.5 points. In addition to the team awards, UNL students captured a total of three individual state championships. Sophomore Grace Kluck of Lincoln won Program Oral Interpretation, sophomore Josh Planos of Omaha won Dramatic Interpretation and junior Patrick Sather of Bellevue won Prose Interpretation. In the pentathalon award, which recognizes individual students for a combined point total accrued throughout the tournament, junior Lauren Schaal of Omaha was third.
UNL placed second in the debate sweepstakes and won the overall speech and debate combined sweepstakes award for a fourth year in a row, a feat previously never achieved by a team in state tournament history.
The state championship marks the fourth consecutive victory for the UNL team this semester. The team is preparing to compete at the American Forensic Association - National Individual Events Tournament to be held at Texas State University - San Marcos, April 7-9.
The state championship marks the fourth consecutive victory for the UNL team this semester. The team is preparing to compete at the American Forensic Association - National Individual Events Tournament to be held at Texas State University - San Marcos, April 7-9.
--Aaron Duncan, Director of Speech & Debate
Congratulations to our newest Academic Star
Congratulations to Communication Studies major and William J. Seiler Undergraduate Leadership Award winner Emily Schlichting on being named an Academic Star. From the announcement:
On some level, it’s all very difficult to believe this is her life, Schlichting said. There’s something definitely to take away from it all: True passions in life don’t always start out as things you knew you cared about or loved. “The smallest actions lead to the biggest chain of events that you could ever imagine to occur,” she said. “It might not seem big at the time, but nothing big started out that way.”
Friday, October 21, 2011
Senator Nelson Congratulates Speech & Debate Team on Big 10 Championship
Thanks to Senator Ben Nelson for Skyping in to chat with the Big Ten Champion Speech & Debate Team. Senator Nelson disclosed that he was a high school debater--and he noted that he often wished that the debates on the floor of the Senate lived up to the debates he had as a high school debater!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Caption Contest #1
Introducing a new feature here on COMMPosts: caption contests!
Recently, Dr. Damien Pfister was elevated to new apple-picking heights by Dr. Jordan Soliz. Visual evidence below:
Propose a caption in the comments below!
Recently, Dr. Damien Pfister was elevated to new apple-picking heights by Dr. Jordan Soliz. Visual evidence below:
Propose a caption in the comments below!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
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