Graduate student conference targets communications research

“Communications Crossroads,” a daylong conference showcasing original graduate student research in communications will be held at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication on Friday, April 3.

This year’s conference highlights cutting-edge graduate student research in the field of communication from seven departments across the UW–Madison campus: journalism and mass communication, communication arts, life sciences communication, theatre and drama, curriculum and instruction, library and information studies, and English.

Research topics run the gamut from gender in Hollywood westerns to the shifting Supreme Court, from educational speech to election coverage in the 2008 presidential race to the credibility of corporate blogs and how they impact attitude toward companies.

In recent years, communication research has emerged as a truly multidisciplinary field, drawing from research in the humanities, social sciences, arts, and technology fields. “Communication Crossroads” intends to facilitate exchange across disciplines and gives emerging scholars an opportunity to interact with fellow student and faculty researchers.

The conference is free and open to the campus community and public. It will be held from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Nafziger Room on the fifth floor of Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.