Bio
Courses I am teaching:
SPCM 2120 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking
SPCM 3120 – Business and Professional Speaking
SPCM 3230 – Gender Communication
Research areas:
Interpersonal communication, public speaking, gender communication and social media.
About my teaching:
My teaching philosophy centers on creating a safe, warm, and welcoming atmosphere where students can challenge themselves, enhance their public speaking skills and be creative. I strive to create a positive, fun, and exciting learning environment.
How I came to teach what I teach:
While in college, my Speech Communication TA asked me to be her Undergraduate TA because she felt I was called to teach speech. After helping teach a speech class, I discovered that teaching interpersonal communication and public speaking are truly passions of mine. I have taught at the college level for over 16 years.
Current research:
Chen, S. S., Allaire, N, & Chen, Z. J (2018). Constructing Narratives in Response to Trump’s Election: How Various Populations Make Sense of an Unexpected Victory. Lexington Books, I am currently co-editing and co-writing a chapter in Building Sexual Misconduct Cases Against Powerful Men with Sarina Chen and Joyce Chen to be published in Spring 2019.
I also chaired a presentation at the Iowa Communication Association (ICA) and will chair the State of Iowa Showcase presentation for this research in April, 2019.
Outside of the university…
I have two amazing sons, Austin and Evan, as well as two dogs (Tibby and Janey). I am a huge ISU, U of MN, and Baylor fan. Weekend getaways, drives to Texas, and trips overseas are my favorites. I also enjoy visiting my parents in Minnesota and Florida. My creative outlets include writing, making jewelry, interior design, and fashion. I believe in life-long learning, self-improvement and the development of healthy relationships.