I am the director of the Master of Communications Management Program in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University.
I joined the McMaster faculty as a tenure-track assistant professor in 2001, as the co-founder (with Dr. Graham Knight) of the Communication Studies Program. I was awarded tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor in 2006. I was jointly-appointed to the departments of French and Communication Studies and Multimedia until June 30, 2011. On July 1, 2011, I became solely appointed to the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia.
My research is centred on the study of human communication – both interpersonal and mediated – using the tools of critical discourse analysis, content analysis, cognitive science, computational linguistics and pragmatics. I have also written about translation from a discourse analysis perspective. To further this research agenda, I founded and am currently executive director of the COMM-Lab: McMaster Communication Metrics Laboratory.
I hold secondary appointments in several other places at McMaster. I am an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, as well as in the McMaster Health Forum in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
I have won a couple of awards. I guess I should list them. In 2001, I was awarded a Chateaubriand Fellowship from the Government of France to work in cognitive science and content analysis at the École Normale Supérieure (Paris, rue d’Ulm). I declined it. Instead, I accepted a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada postdoctoral fellowship to work on the preservation and encouragement of the Mi’kmaq language and culture in the Gaspé Peninsula and in the Maritimes. We ended up publishing a comprehensive reference dictionary of Mi’kmaq. I am very proud of it.
In 2003, I won the MSU New Faculty Merit Award for teaching excellence. In 2006, I won the Petro Canada Young Innovator Award for integrating teaching and research in my practice as an academic. In 2008, the Hamilton Spectator listed me as one of their Top 40 Under 40. In 2011, I shared the Ontario Liberal Party Province-Wide Riding Advertising Award with the communications committee (which I chaired) of Ted McMeekin’s successful 2011 campaign for re-election in the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale for our victorious campaign.
I am the co-founding editor-in-chief (with co-founder, senior associate editor, Dr. Terry Flynn) of the Journal of Professional Communication (JPC) – a journal for practitioners, journalists, policy makers and academics.
Another journal I co-founded in 2005 with student Sadia Azmaat, of which I am still faculty editor, is the McMaster Journal of Communication. The MJC is a peer-reviewed, graduate and undergraduate student journal that explores ideas and publishes works of art in the fields of communication studies and multimedia.
I am an occasional political communicator/strategist for politicians and causes that I believe in. I worked as director of communications for Judy Marsales during her successful provincial campaign for Hamilton West in 2003. I was communications chair for Gerard Kennedy’s successful federal campaign in 2008 in Parkdale-High Park. I have been a senior advisor to Mr. Kennedy and other politicians during the last few years. In 2011, I served as communications chair for Ted McMeekin’s successful provincial campaign in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. I have served, in the past, as an active member of my local federal Liberal riding association, but no longer sit on any political executive board. This blog is not specifically Liberal in its ideological or political orientation.
In fact, this blog, and my research, are emphatically non-partisan. I strive be an equal-opportunity critic, analyst and commentator.
I am a progressive but practising Roman Catholic. The intersections of faith, politics and public life interest me deeply. I am committed to social justice and have been profoundly influenced by the thought and life of Jean Vanier. I believe that Dr. Vanier has successfully blended academic achievement, political activism and a questioning, but loving faith.
In terms of personal interests, I love fencing (sabre), swimming, playing the piano, cooking, writing fiction and non-fiction, maintaining my vegetable and herb garden, as well as going to the opera, the ballet and the symphony. I love classical music, although my musical tastes can be pretty eclectic. Right now, I am listening to a lot of Sigur Rós.
I currently live in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, with my cat, the glamourous (and rubenesque) Gigi.
A recent pic. Photo: RabeeYounes.com
My name is Ryan Martin and I’m a third year student at McMaster University. I’ve admired your work in politics and helping Canada move forward as a country, putting in place the regulations that helped keep our financial services industry afloat during the past few years of economic uncertainty. For my final year beginning next fall I’m looking to take on an exchange opportunity called the Semester in Washington DC Program to gain a unique governmental experience abroad and have the opportunity to take classes at Georgetown University. This is something that would help me continue my path of building a diverse background after having worked abroad this past summer, and as a result the cost is quite high and I was wondering if you might be willing to offer me any kind of financial support might be available to help me pay for the expenses that would be incurred. During the 2006 and 2008 I had the pleasure of working with Burlington Liberal MP Paddy Torsney, with whom I have been on in contact ever since. SHe suggested I speak with you about any opportunities you may have for obtaining fund-raising money to help me with the expenses of an abroad program. I understand they would be at my own decision as a result of going, but I was hoping I might be able to get some backing as the only student to ever participate in this program from McMaster and give them some strong representation on the international stage. Any information you require I would be happy to provide.
Please let me know what I can do to move forward if any opportunities might be available.
Thank you for your time.