This episode of COMverstaions features Dr. Rebecca Rice. Rebecca is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies whose research focuses on risk, crisis, and emergency organizing. In this wide ranging interview, hosts Kevin and Dave get a little insight into what fascinates Rebecca about risk, why as a high schooler she had a subscription to the Economist magazine, and how she can get out of a speeding ticket anytime she's driving in Boulder County, Colorado.
Dec 14, 2022
30 min
In this week's COMversation, hosts Kevin and Dave sit down with Associate Professor, David Gruber. David joined the Department of Communication Studies faculty after working nearly a decade oversees at institutions in Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Auckland, New Zealand. David is a persuasive communications scholar who has published extensively on rhetoric and the brain. In this interview we hear about David's need to play the electric guitar as loud as possible, his love of rocks and geology, and how a humor writing course he took as undergrad at USC, taught by the legendary Shelley Berman, sparked an intellectual curiosity that eventually led him to pursue a PhD.
Nov 11, 2022
25 min
In this week's episode, hosts Kevin and Dave sit down with Donovan Conley. Donovan is an associate professor of Communication Studies and is the longest serving faculty member in the department. This wide ranging COMversation touches on variety of topics including some of the biggest takeaways from Donovan's recent visit to Vietnam; how his plans as a Canadian high school student intending to play basketball in college went sideways and the resulting path that ultimately took him on; and the surprising role a former colleague had in setting the stage for his eventual marriage.
Oct 26, 2022
30 min
In this episode of COMversations, Kevin and Dave chat with Jenny Farrell. Jenny's a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies with over a decade of teaching experience at UNLV. She specializes in interpersonal communications with a specific focus on long-distance relationships. We'll hear how her personal experience in a long-distance relationship served as the catalyst for this line of inquiry. We'll also get some insight into how this Alanis Morissette and drag performance loving mother-of-two came to own a 28-year-old tortoise named Dandy.
Sep 23, 2022
21 min
In our second installment of the COMversations podcast, hosts Kevin and Dave sit down with Dr. Laura Martinez. Laura joined the UNLV Department of Communication Studies in the summer of 2022 after completing her doctoral studies from Arizona State University. Laura is an expert in organizational communication with specific research interests surrounding circus. We'll hear what initially got her interested in circus as well as why she considers herself an old soul who just so happens to love mob films like The Godfather.
Sep 8, 2022
21 min
The COMversations podcast starts off with a bang as hosts Kevin and Dave chat with Dr. Nick Tatum. As the Basic Course Director for the Department of Communication at UNLV, Nick is responsible for the development of the introductory courses aimed at attracting students to the major. We learn why Nick loves the discipline despite starting off as a music major in college. We also get interesting insight into Nick's affinity for a cappella music, trashy reality shows, and diet Dr. Pepper.
Aug 22, 2022
22 min