I came to research by a winding path, but I see that as an asset. It informs everything I do.
Working in publishing, media production, and public engagement showed me the practical and applied value of communication and media scholarship in real world settings with a diverse range of audiences. This perspective enriches every aspect of my scholarship and teaching.
Before returning to research, I taught communication and storytelling at Northwestern University as the Assistant Director of Science Communication within a university research center. As an NIH-funded interdisciplinary center, most of my work involved mentoring and training STEM PhDs in communication, or supporting engagement strategies and outreach projects with local schools, and building multi-year relationships with community organizations around Chicago.
Prior to that, I ran an international cultural consultancy firm, collaborating with organizations such as the BBC, UNESCO City of Literature Trust, ESRC Genomics Forum, and the Australian Council for the Arts. While I produced and promoted projects that ran the gamut from art installations to speaker series, at their core they brought people together to explore how books, stories, and the power of words can shape how we think and feel.
Like all scholars, my research is often influenced by my academic background. I studied first in engineering and technical communication (University of Michigan) and then in cultural & media studies (University of Edinburgh). On the surface, the methodological differences between my bachelor’s and master’s degrees seem at odds. However, at its core, I’ve always been interested in media and how it is received (and sometimes embraced) by audiences. First, by understanding the technological infrastructure and communication strategies necessary for production, then by delving into the socio-emotional facets of media engagement and fan communities.
As a result, I consider media psychology my Goldilocks zone. Social scientific inquiry allows me to test, manipulate, and explore the technology and message features influencing these processes, as well as capture the mechanisms which underlie the subjective experiences of its receivers. In essence, bringing social and psychological science perspectives to our most pressing questions regarding the impact and effects of media on both individuals and groups.
Want to get in touch?
smgrady [at] msu [dot] edu