Departmental News
Graduate Students Win Accolades at GRID, from AAUW
Department of Communication graduate students won first and second place prizes at the annual UM Graduate Research Interaction Day. Over 160 graduate students from around campus presented their research at this event, and research was assessed for its theoretical contribution, clarity and quality of presentation, and overall significance and contribution. First place awards receive $600, second place $400, third place $250 and fourth place $150.
Ph.D. student Heather Epkins received first place in the Public Policy division for her poster session entitled "How National Security Reporters Make Meaning of Terrorism Information." In her research, Epkins seeks to understand the media's role in interpreting and disseminating terrorism-related messages from the United States 58
government and how they function in situational contexts of the threat communication process. Additionally, her paper explored how journalists understand the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS), as introduced by the first United States Homeland Security Secretary, Gov. Tom Ridge in March 2002.
Ph.D. student Art Herbig won the first place award in the Interpreting Visual Culture and Images division for his presentation entitled "Whatever Happened to Spearchucker? The Television Program M*A*S*H and the Issue of Racial Representation." Herbig's research examined how, by eliminating the sole African-American voice in its cast during its first season, M*A*S*H retained only those characters who would identify the discrimination of others and stand above the racism they witnessed. By examining the evolution from dealing with race as normalized aspect of existence into an issue that allows for narrative tension, Herbig concludes, M*A*S*H reflects the ways in which race is encountered as a source of episodic conflict instead of a part of everyday life.
Ph.D. student Ioana Cionea won the second place award in the Environmental Issues, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development division for her co-authored research (with Director of Undergraduate Studies Leah Waks), entitled "A Profile of Energy Consumption Behaviors among Undergraduates at the University of Maryland." Two hundred and fifty participants completed an online questionnaire that asked them to report on their habitual behaviors regarding energy use, their attitudes, intentions, and willingness to change their behaviors to reduce energy consumption as well as their perceived behavioral control in matters of energy while living in the university’s residence halls.
M.A. student Heather Brook Adams has been named the recipient of the 2008 Master's Graduate Award from the College Park chapter of the American Association of University Women. She will be honored at the chapter's award luncheon on May 3 where she will discuss her research and receive her award.
