Eleven new faculty have joined the College of Communication and Information this year, ready to add their expertise, scholarship, and instruction to their respective schools, the college, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Here’s a little bit more about them:
The School of Communication Studies
Lecturer of Practice Abigail Barnes
Barnes comes to the school in two capacities: as a lecturer of practice teaching speech courses, and as the new coach for the Tennessee Speech and Debate Society. Her area of expertise is in rhetorical criticism, critical discourse analysis, and argumentation, and she is currently studying the art of Youtube/online apology videos and establishing common tactics used in these apologies.
As a native East Tennessean—she’s from Morristown—Barnes is excited to come to the state’s flagship school and dive right into the community at CCI and collaborate with colleagues and students alike in academic and service endeavors.
“Upon my arrival, I instantly felt a sense of community, support, and a dedication to student success. Further, the collaborative nature of the college’s approach to research, industry skills, and communication in practice (inside and outside of the classroom) is promising—I just couldn’t wait to join and be a part of it! Finally, the college’s enthusiasm for being the permanent home of the debate team made me feel confident that UT was the place for me,” she said.
Barnes earned her bachelor’s in communication studies at Middle Tennessee State University, where she also competed on the MTSU Debate Team. She completed a master’s degree in communication studies at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she is also finishing her PhD in the same area of study.
“Abby brings a level of experience and professionalism that will elevate the program. She is an established leader who is widely regarded in the circuit. She brings a record of success in building a program, while showing care and concern for her students. She will help students achieve success in competition and learn skills that will serve them well for a lifetime across the range of different careers our debate alumni move into. I could not imagine a better person to lead the program,” said School of Communication Studies Professor and Director Jon Hess.
Lecturer Lindsay Harrison
Harrison says her favorite thing about communication is the way it is a constant part of life and is “truly the glue that holds our society and relationships together.” She takes that mindset into her work at the School of Communication Studies, where she will be teaching public speaking.
“Sharing my love of public speaking with undergraduates will hopefully instill in them the competence and poise they need to step into the professional world as a confident communicator,” she said.
Harrison is a former speech team captain and coach and has instructed students at both the high school and college level. Her career in higher education and community roles includes experience working in admissions, advising, social media management, and event planning.
“Lindsay has experience across a range of educational contexts that will help her offer our students the highest level of instruction. She has taught across different levels of education, served as an admissions counselor, and worked as an educational partnership coordinator. Her broader view of higher education offers a deeper understanding of the role of Communication in education and beyond,” said Hess.
Harrison says her favorite thing about communication is the way it is a constant part of life and is “truly the glue that holds our society and relationships together.” She takes that mindset into her work at the School of Communication Studies, where she will be teaching public speaking.
“Sharing my love of public speaking with undergraduates will hopefully instill in them the competence and poise they need to step into the professional world as a confident communicator,” she said.
Harrison is a former speech team captain and coach and has instructed students at both the high school and college level. Her career in higher education and community roles includes experience working in admissions, advising, social media management, and event planning.
Lecturer Felicia Slattery
Slattery has extensive experience as a professional speaker and has also worked as a public speaking and marketing consultant for the past 15 years—making her an ideal instructor for business and professional speaking courses at the school.
Though her career and resume are packed with varied and extensive experience in her field, surviving cancer has taught her “that one important message delivered with power can transform a life,” which drives how, who, and where she teaches.
“The University of Tennessee has a great reputation, excellent support for students and faculty, and provides a rich environment for teaching and learning. My hope is to spend the remainder of my career at UT,” she said. “The excitement and support for the school in Knoxville and beyond is unparalleled. People here bleed orange and it’s motivating to be part of that.”
She has worked with clients at large multinational corporations and with small business owners, colleges, and universities. Slattery has eight books under her belt and two master’s degrees, in adult education and training, and in communication.
“Felicia brings professional experience that will give our students deeper insight as teaches business and professional speaking. Her work as a communication consultant, marketing director, and published author means that she has used the skills we teach in professional settings,” Hess said.
School of Journalism and Media
Several new tenure-track faculty members are joining the School of Journalism and Media to support its growing numbers and new major concentrations and minors.
“The School of Journalism and Media is blessed to welcome four new assistant professors to its faculty this fall. Doctors Hayat, Riedl, Scovel, and Yang bring diverse teaching experience and research expertise to our programs. Affectionately known as the ‘Fab 4,’ we look forward to watching them thrive in JEM for many years to come,” said Courtney Childers, the school’s interim director.
Assistant Professor Ahmad Hayat
Hayat’s career includes experience as a producer at Kuwait TV and a script analyst for Hollywood movie studios, Eclectic Pictures, and The Hideaway Entertainment. During his tenure at Kuwait TV, he produced two primetime shows, “The Judge Who Executed Saddam” (2010) and “Kuwait The Light of The Eyes” (2011).
He is excited to bring his television production and research experience to CCI and is most looking forward to continuing his research and working with faculty in the college and across campus.
“Because of the exceptional accomplishments of the college’s faculty, I think I will be able to continue to build a robust program for students and advance knowledge through shared collaboration,” he said.
Assistant Professor Martin J. Riedl
Riedl is joining CCI after completing a postdoc at the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Media Engagement, which is the same institution he earned his doctoral degree in journalism and media. He has two master’s degrees, including one in media management from Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media, and another in social sciences from Humboldt University of Berlin.
He is looking forward to engaging students in the classroom and working with other researchers at the university. He’s also excited to explore Knoxville, where the mountains remind him of the place he grew up, Austria.
“I am excited to join a community of emphatic and collegial educators who care deeply about teaching and engaging students about pressing issues in communication, technology, and society. I am eager to help students keep apace with a quickly changing technological environment in which social media platforms and news organizations are deeply intertwined and dependent on one another,” he said.
Riedl’s research examines the power social media platforms have in society and what that means for online discourse. He also explores how news organizations engage their readers, and the role that technology plays in the spread of false and misleading information.
Assistant Professor Shannon Scovel
“I’ve been drawn to the stellar research at the University of Tennessee for years, and it’s surreal to finally be on campus working alongside so many leading scholars in the field,” said Scovel, when asked what excited her about coming to CCI. “From the moment I stepped on campus, Rocky Top felt like home. The warmth of the community, the support of the faculty and the energy of the students makes this a truly special place to be.”
Scovel’s research sits at the intersection of sports, media and gender, and her dissertation specifically looked at the representation and self-representation of collegiate women athletes during the first year of the NCAA’s new “name, image, and likeness” policy.
She is very excited about engaging the next generation of journalists as they come through the college, and as a scholar, educator, reporter, and former athlete, has a solid grasp on many aspects of the field. She holds a PhD in journalism studies from the University of Maryland and competed as a Division I swimmer at American University before completing her master’s degree in gender studies as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Stirling. She is also a freelance college wrestling beat reporter for NCAA.com and her work has been featured in USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and Yahoo Sports.
Assistant Professor Shiyu Yang
Yang’s research and teaching interests center on science, health, environmental, and risk communication, digital media, and visual communication, and she is excited to join faculty at CCI who believe in the interdisciplinary nature of communication and information scholarship.
“I was drawn to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Communication and Information by its vibrant intellectual atmosphere and the sense of community here. The land-grant mission and the Volunteer spirit of UT also resonated deeply with me,” she said. “I am most excited about the excellent opportunities for collaborative research, teaching, and outreach on Rocky Top. I am very excited to work with my students and colleagues in JEM, CCI, and across campus. I look forward to building connections across campus and beyond and making positive broader impacts with my work on science communication.”
Yang’s research focuses on public opinion dynamics related to controversial scientific issues and emerging technologies. She is particularly interested in understanding how new media technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the ways we communicate in today’s algorithmically infused information environments, and how we can effectively connect with diverse audiences on important issues in science and democratic society.
Yang received her PhD in mass communications from the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), where she also earned her master’s in computer sciences.
School of Information Sciences
Assistant Professor Hope Chidziwisano
Chidziwisano brings his knowledge in human-computer interaction, information and communication technologies for development, and ubiquitous computing to the School of Information Sciences, which continues to grow the human-computer interaction expertise of the school in both the undergraduate and graduate programs.
“Specifically, I use my background in computer science and physics to design, develop, and deploy technological systems that can account for some of the distinctive needs of users in resource-constrained settings. My research broadens the University of Tennessee’s efforts by incorporating marginalized voices in the design of technological systems,” he explained.
He is excited to work in an environment with people from different fields, which he said creates an opportunity for innovation. Chidziwisano said he’s observed that instructors at CCI support their students, the students are eager to learn, and that everyone encourages high academic standards—a climate that he thinks he will fit into well.
Before joining UT, Chidziwisano was a presidential postdoctoral fellow in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. He completed his PhD and master’s in information and media at Michigan State University and earned his undergraduate degree in computer science and physics at the University of Malawi.
Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations
Assistant Professor Oluseyi Adegbola
Adegbola comes to CCI from DePaul University in Chicago, where he taught public relations and advertising for three years. He is excited to immerse himself on campus and get to know both his colleagues and students at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations.
“I had heard really good things about the college and specifically, the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations. After visiting and meeting with some of the faculty, and seeing the supportive culture, I knew it was where I’d like to be,” he said.
He brings with him knowledge around strategic communication within the context of politics, including political campaigns, electoral processes, and political mobilization, and uses mixed methods in his research to answer questions in his subject area. He also has professional experience working as a journalist as well as in public relations at a government research and development institute prior to pursuing his master’s degree.
Adegbola was born in Nigeria, where he completed his undergraduate work before moving to the United States for his graduate education. He has a master’s degree in communication at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a PhD from Texas Tech University in media and communication.
“At DePaul University, Dr. Adegbola established a compelling research stream in news media representations and how they, in concert with political talk and culture, influence public opinion and political behavior. Prior to coming to the US to pursue his graduate education, Dr. Adegbola worked in Nigeria with an environmental advocacy nonprofit and then in the public relations office for the National Center for Energy Research and Development,” said Tombras School Professor and Director Beth Foster.
Assistant Professor Jeannette Iannacone
Iannacone said she wanted to be a part of the Tombras School after visiting and seeing how faculty are supported and welcomed in their research, teaching, and service.
“Rocky Top is a vibrant community where discovery and creativity are emphasized alongside engagement and progress. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s academic community, engage with passionate students, and collaborate with exceptional colleagues,” she said. “Rocky Top is not just a place; it’s a thriving academic ecosystem that offers boundless opportunities.”
Iannacone’s research experience focuses on global public relations and strategic communication, with expertise in the relational dimension of transnational communication processes and practices, particularly for marginalized groups. She plans to continue her research in that vein, and to question how the global movement of people impacts their communication social networks and relationships with distinct organizations in the name of promoting inclusive communication strategies that take into account marginalized publics.
Iannacone earned both her master’s and PhD degrees in communication from the University of Maryland and holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of St. Andrews.
“Dr. Iannacone recently received her doctorate from the University of Maryland and is a global public relations scholar with expertise in the relational dimensions of transnational communication processes and practices, especially for marginalized groups. Her vibrant and important research stream explores how transnationalism, or the flows and exchanges that occur across national borders, manifests in and impacts communicative interactions, and, subsequently, the implications for society,” Foster said.
Assistant Professor of Practice Colin Piacentine
While fantasy football is one area of his expertise, Piacentine said he is also excited to bring his expertise around producing effective advertising strategies to the classrooms of CCI. His experience in the advertising industry makes him well-prepared to teach practical skills to Tombras School students and help keep them aware of current trends and how to adapt to new changes that arise in an industry that is ever evolving.
“CCI is doing great things. It has a very progressive focus with an emphasis on growth. And everyone I have met in the CCI are just amazing to be around. Great personalities and very team oriented!” Piacentine said. “The UT campus and atmosphere is just incredible. I am extremely excited and grateful to be a part of it. Absolutely cannot wait to attend my first home game!”
Piacentine earned a master’s degree in communication from the College of Charleston, and from there went on to be an advertising account executive for Comcast, where he began working directly on campaigns for local, regional, and national advertisers and marketing agencies. During that time, he also earned an MBA with a concentration in innovation, and then pursued his doctoral degree so he could combine his communication and business education with his industry experience into a singular focus.
“Dr. Piacentine has extensive professional experience in sales, marketing, and media advertising. Having held multiple roles for organizations in different industries, he brings a multifaceted perspective to the class discussion. We are thrilled to have Dr. Piacentine’s expertise in media strategy in the classroom as well as the great energy he brings to connect his professional experience and pedagogy,” Foster said.