New Faculty Join College of Communications

Four years after graduating from the master’s degree in communications, Dr. Laura Triplett (Entertainment Studies) returned to the Department of Communications as an assistant professor. Triplett completed her Ph.D. in communication with a minor in social psychology at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

She currently teaches two of the entertainment concentration’s core courses and will add Entertainment Public Relations and Research Methods to her 2006 teaching schedule. Regardless of the class or content, she said she believes that intensive, thoughtful discussion and “real world” application are key elements of learning. Triplett also advises the Entertainment and Tourism Club, which experienced a significant membership increase fall 2005 semester.

In addition to teaching and advising, Triplett has an active research program. Her primary area, Attributions, examines the issue of non-clinical obesity, an under-researched area within the social and behavioral sciences. Her research addresses body aesthetics, social stigma, target versus perceiver experience, mass media effects, and special topics in health communication. She especially enjoys the in-depth interview process that her type of research affords.

Triplett is a member of the International Communication Association, the National Communication Association, and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.