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SECTION 4: CURRICULUM VITAE AND LIST OF COLLABORATORS

Chronology of Education

2001-2005 Ph. D. Pennsylvania State UniversityMajor Field: Communication Arts and SciencesDissertation: “The Role of Communication in Cross-National Adjustment and Identity Transitions among Student Sojourners”Advisors: Jon F. Nussbaum and Michelle Miller-Day

1999-2001 M. A. Pennsylvania State UniversityMajor Field: Speech CommunicationThesis: “Cultural Identity and Patterns of Social Support among United States American Students Abroad”Advisor: Michelle Miller-Day

1997-1999 B. A. Arizona State UniversityMajor Fields: Communication and French

1996-1997 Northern Arizona UniversityMajor Field: French (study abroad)

1994-1996 Arizona State UniversityMajor Fields: Communication and French

Chronology of Employment

2011-present Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Arizona.

2006-2011 Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2005-2006 Visiting Lecturer, Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1999-2005 Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.

Honors and Awards

2015 Top Paper Award, Intercultural Communication Division of the International Communication Association, for Advancing the communication model of sojourner reentry adjustment.

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2009 Top Paper Award, Applied Communication Division, Southern States Communication Association, for What parents need to know about the new Virginia HPV vaccine mandate: Implications for information seeking and parental decision-making.

2007 Top Four Paper Award, Intergroup Communication Interest Group, International Communication Association, for Preparing US American sojourners for short term adjustment and positive intergroup relations: An application of expectancy violations theory and the intercultural theory on cross-cultural adaptation.

2005 Carroll Arnold Award for Excellence in Research by a Graduate Student, Pennsylvania State University, Communication Arts and Sciences.

2004 Kathryn DeBoer Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Assistant, Pennsylvania State University, Communication Arts and Sciences.

2004 Research and Graduate Studies Office Course Release ($4,000) to conduct dissertation research in France, Pennsylvania State University.

2002 Outstanding Thesis Award, International and Intercultural Communication Division, National Communication Association.

2002 Research and Graduate Studies Office Travel Award, Pennsylvania State University.

Service/Outreach (limited to period in current rank)

Local/State Outreach

2016 Directed a “Listening Locally” project among four University of Arizona Master’s Candidates. The Listening Locally community project asked students to uncover the untold stories of their community and give them voice in a community forum. Students interviewed people living in Tucson who represent borders, boundaries, and intersections of cultural identities. Students re-told their stories at the International Listening Association Conference held in Tucson in February, 2016 and invited community members to participate on the panel. Goals of this outreach were to encourage graduate students to consider their local populations in research, to enhance community-student relationships, and to provide an opportunity and direct training in the collection, analysis, and presentation of sensitive data.

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2009 & 2010 Co-developed a community-based, interdisciplinary learning course at Old Dominion University with Jenifer Alonzo (Theatre) entitled Storytelling and Society. Students conducted narrative interviews with members of the Tidewater community of Virginia, analyzed and interpreted narratives, and (re)presented narratives to the community. Goals of this outreach were two-fold, to enhance community-student relationships and give students practical skills training in research and analysis. We co-taught the community-based service course twice.

2008 Co-led with Kimberly Adams-Tufts (Nursing) community-based information sessions on the human papillomavirus and the human papillomavirus vaccine at the Evelyn Ott School of Dance and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia. This outreach effort was designed to enhance community knowledge and decision-making about the recent HPV vaccination mandate. It was part of our broader research program.

National Service and Leadership in Professional Organizations

National Communication Association

2007-2016 Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Communication and Aging Division.

2015 Legislative Assembly Representative for the Communication and Aging Division.

2013-2014 Immediate Past Chair of the Communication and Aging Division.

2013-2014 Chair of the Outstanding Book/Article Committee of the Communication and Aging Division.

2013-2014 Legislative Assembly Representative for the Communication and Aging Division.

2012-2013 Chair of the Communication and Aging Division.

2011-2012 Vice Chair Elect of the Communication and Aging Division.

2011-2012 Member, Outstanding Book/Article Committee of the Communication and Aging Division.

Southern States Communication Association

2008 Paper Reviewer for the Undergraduate Honors Conference.

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International Service and Leadership in Professional Organizations

International Association of Language and Social Psychology

2016-2018 President (term starts in June, 2016).

2016 Scientific Review Committee for the Murachver Student Award.

2016 Scientific Review Committee for the Works in Progress.

2014-2016 Vice President Elect.

2012-2016 Regional Representative (North America).

2012 Scientific Review Committee.

2006-2012 Treasurer.

International Communication Association

2015 Research Escalator Mentor.

2007-2011 Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2009-2010 Co-Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2008-2009 Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2008 Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Intercultural Communication Division.

2007-2008 Co-Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

National and International Editorial Service

2016 Guest Editorial Board Member of the Science Communication Special Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, forthcoming.

2014-present Editorial Board, Journal of Language and Social Psychology.

2014-present Editorial Board, International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, Wiley-Blackwell.

2012 Guest Editor, Watson, B. M., Pitts, M. J., Giles, H. (Eds.) (2012). Special 30th Anniversary Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 31 (4).

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2009 Guest Editor, Harwood, J., & Pitts, M. J (Eds.) (2009). Special Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 28 (4) [conference proceedings].

2008 Guest Editorial Board Member of the Health Communication Special Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 28(2).

National and International Service as Ad Hoc Reviewer

Communication MonographsCommunication QuarterlyCommunication Research ReportsCommunication, Culture, & CritiqueHealth EducationHealth PsychologyHuman Communication ResearchInternational and Intercultural CommunicationInternational Journal of CommunicationInternational Journal of Intercultural Relations

Journal of Applied Communication ResearchJournal of Asian Pacific CommunicationJournal of Cross-Cultural PsychologyJournal of CommunicationJournal of Social and Personal RelationshipsPersonal RelationshipsPsycho-OncologyQualitative ResearchQualitative Health ResearchResearch on Aging

Book Manuscript/Proposal Reviewer

2016 Routledge (handbook on Communication and Happiness).

2012 Peter Lang (scholarly book on Positive Communication).

Invited Participation/Leadership at Professional Meetings

2016 Session Leader on “How can positive communication be used towards positive community betterment” for breakout discussion at the National Communication Association Preconference on “Positive Communication’s Civic Callings” to be held in November, 2016.

2016 Co-organizer with Tom Socha, Julien Mirivel, and Gary Beck. National Communication Association Preconference on “Positive Communication’s Civic Callings” to be held in November, 2016.

2014 Respondent, Applied and Health Communication Research, Scholar to Scholar Session, National Communication Association Conference.

2013 Chair, Top Four Papers in Communication and Aging, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.

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2012 Chair, Individual Papers on Intergroup Communication, International Conference on Language and Social Psychology.

2012 Respondent, Extended Session: Top Four Papers in Intergroup Communication: Immigration Issues in Applied Contexts, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2012 Chair, Top Four Papers in Communication and Aging: Intergenerational Satisfaction, Social Support, and Culture, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.

2012 Co-Chair (with Ray Benkendorf), Research on Communication and Aging Revisited: Four Perspectives, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.

2010 Co-organizer & Co-chair (with Tom Socha), Communication and Decision Making Across the Lifespan: A Collaborative Summit to Advance Theory, Research, Application, & Pedagogy Preconference of the NCA, National Communication Association.

2009 Discussant, International Association of Language and Social Psychology (IALSP) Presents Common Ground Keynotes and Keywords with ICA, International Communication Association.

2009 Panel Chair, Identity as Keywords in Communication Across and Between Groups: Roundtable Discussion Following IALSP, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2009 Panel Chair & Respondent, Top Four Papers in Intergroup Communication, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2009 Respondent, Interpersonal Communication Studies I, Southern States Communication Association, Undergraduate Honors Conference.

2008 Respondent, In Pursuit of Positive Aging: Examining Identity, Health, and Work in Later Life, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.

2008 Panel Chair, Diverse Contexts for Intergroup Communication: Culture, Peer Groups, Health, and Sports, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.

2007 Respondent, Competitive Papers on Communication and Aging, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.

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Departmental Committees

2016 (July 1) Director of Graduate Studies, University of Arizona, Department of Communication.

2012-present Member, Graduate Committee, University of Arizona, Department of Communication.

2010-2011 Member, Search Committee for full time lecturer appointment, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2009-2010 Member, MA in Lifespan Communication and Digital Media Development, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2009-2010 Member, Curriculum Revision Committee, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2008-2009 Coordinator, Works in Progress Series (monthly colloquia), Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2007-2008 Chair, Search Committee for Human Communication and Digital Media position, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

2007 Member, Search Committee for one-year lecturer appointment, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.

College Committees

2010-2011 Member, Long-Range Planning Committee, College of Arts and Letters, Old Dominion University.

2009-2010 Member, Scholarship Committee, College of Arts and Letters, Old Dominion University.

2008-2009 Member, Research and Publications Committee, College of Arts and Letters, Old Dominion University.

Graduate Committees and Supervision

PhD Advisor University of Arizona

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Sara Kim (with Jake Harwood; expected Spring 2019)

Stephanie Smith (Spring 2015)o Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech University

PhD Committee Member University of Arizona Sheila Springer (expected Spring 2017)

PhD Comprehensive Examination Committee University of Arizona Chien-Yu Chen (Spring 2016) Melissa McNelis (Spring 2016) Sheila Springer (Spring 2015) Steven Brunner (Fall 2014)

PhD Committee Member Old Dominion University Elif Guler (Winter 2012)

PhD Communication Minor Comprehensive Examination Committee University of Arizona Diane Daley (Spring 2015)

MA Advisor University of Arizona Samantha Stanley (Spring 2016) Sara Kim (Winter 2015)

MA Committee Member University of Arizona Candace Manriquez (Fall 2016) Farah Qadar (Spring 2016) Alyssa Patmos (Spring 2014)

External Reviewer (International PhD) Michael Meehan, PhD veterinary science, University of Queensland (Summer 2011)

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Director University of Arizona Samantha Stanley (Spring 2014)

Undergraduate Advising Old Dominion University 2006-2011 Faculty advisor for 35 undergraduate Communication majors per semester

Publications

Scholarly Books

Pitts, M. J., & Socha, T. (Eds.) (2013). Positive communication in health and wellness. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

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Socha, T. J., & Pitts, M. J. (Eds.) (2012). The positive side of interpersonal communication. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Chapters in Scholarly Books

* Denotes publication based on work done as graduate student

Pitts, M. J., & Hummert, M. L. (2014). Life span communication methodology. In J. F. Nussbaum (Ed.), Handbook of life span communication (pp. 29-49). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Pitts, M. J. (2013). Qualitative field methods in communication. In J. F. Nussbaum (Ed), Readings in communication research methods: From theory to practice (pp. 137-148). San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Press. (textbook)

Socha, T. J. & Pitts, M. J. (2012). Coda: Apples and positive messages: Towards healthy communication habits and wellness. In M. J. Pitts & T. J. Socha (Eds.), Positive communication in health and wellness (pp. 299-304). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Pitts, M. J., & Socha, T. J. (2012). Positive communication in creating healthy lives, healthy relationships, and healthy institutions. In M. J. Pitts & T. J. Socha (Eds.), Positive communication in health and wellness (pp. 1-24). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Socha, T. J., & Pitts, M. J. (2012). Coda: Positive interpersonal communication as child’s play. In. T. Socha & M. Pitts (Eds.), The positive side of interpersonal communication (pp. 323-324). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Socha, T. J., & Pitts, M. J. (2012). Toward a conceptual foundation for positive interpersonal communication. In. T. Socha & M. Pitts (Eds.), The positive side of interpersonal communication (pp. 1-15). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Pitts, M. (2011). Dancing with the spirit: Communicating family norms for positive end-of-life transition. In M. Miller-Day (Ed.), Family communication, connections, and health transitions: Going through this together (pp. 377-404). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

* Pecchioni, L., Krieger, J. C., Sparks, L., Pitts, M. J., & Ota, H. (2008). Investigating cancer and ageing from a cultural perspective. In L. Sparks, H. D. O'Hair, & G. L. Kreps, (Eds.), Cancer communication and aging (pp. 239-257). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Pitts, M. J., & Giles, H. (2008). Social psychology and personal relationships: Accommodation and relational influence across time and contexts. In G. Antos & E. Ventola (Eds.) with T. Weber, Handbook of applied linguistics volume 2: Interpersonal communication (pp. 15-31). New York, NY: Mouton de Gruyter.

* Jackson, R. L., Warren, J. R., Pitts, M. J., & Wilson, K. B. (2007). “It is not my responsibility to teach culture!”: White graduate teaching assistants negotiating identity and pedagogy. In L. Cooks (Ed.), Whiteness, pedagogy, and performance. New York, NY: Routledge.

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* Hecht, M., Jackson, R. L., & Pitts, M. J. (2005). Culture: Intersections of intergroup and identity theories. In J. Harwood, & H. Giles (Eds.). Intergroup communication: Multiple perspectives (pp. 21-42). New York, NY: Peter Lang.

* Pitts, M. J., Krieger, J. L., Nussbaum, J. F. (2005). Finding the right place: Social interaction and life transitions among the elderly. In E. Berlin-Ray (Ed.). Health Communication in Practice: A Case Study Approach, (pp. 233-242.) Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. (textbook)

* Pitts, M. J., & Kundrat, A. K. (2004). Exploring social support and social identity among a multigenerational community of women. In Ng, S. H., Candlin, C. N., & Chin, C. Y. (Eds.) Language Matters: Communication, Identity, and Culture, (pp. 267-295). Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong Press.

Refereed Journal Articles

Castonaguay, J., Filer, C. R., & Pitts, M. J. (in press). Seeking help for depression: Applying the health belief model to illness narratives. Southern Communication Journal.

Pitts, M. J., Stanley, S., & Kim, S. (in press). College males’ enduring and novel health beliefs about the HPV vaccine. Health Communication.

Pitts, M. J. (2016). Sojourner reentry: A grounded elaboration of the integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation. Communication Monographs, on-line first, DOI: 10.1080/03637751.2015.1128557.

Pitts, M. J., & Brooks, C. (2016). Critical pedagogy, internationalisation, and a third space: Cultural tensions revealed in students’ discourse. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, on-line first, DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2015.1134553

Brooks, C., & Pitts, M. J. (2016). Communication and identity management in a globally-connected classroom: An online international and intercultural learning experience. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, on-line first, DOI: 10.1080/17513057.2016.1120849

Pitts, M. J., & Harwood, J. (2015). Communication accommodation competence: The nature and nurture of accommodative resources across the lifespan. Language and Communication, 41, 89-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2014.10.002

Smith, S. A., & Patmos, A., & Pitts, M. J. (2015). Communication and teleworking: A study of communication channel satisfaction, personality, and job satisfaction for teleworking employees. International Journal of Business Communication, on-line first, DOI: 10.1177/2329488415589101

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Pitts, M. J., Fowler, C., Fisher, C., & Smith, S. A. (2014). Politeness strategies in imagined conversation openers about eldercare. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 33, 29-48. DOI: 10.1177/0261927X13506708

Fowler, C., Fisher, C., & Pitts, M. J. (2013). Older adults’ evaluations of middle-aged children’s attempts to initiate discussion of care needs. Health Communication, 29, 717-727. DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2013.786278

Pitts, M. J., & Adams-Tufts, K. (2013). Implications of the Virginia human papillomavirus vaccine school requirement for parental vaccine acceptance. Qualitative Health Research, 23, 605-617. DOI: 10.1177/1049732312470871

Pitts, M. J. (2012). Practicing the Four Seasons of Ethnography methodology while searching for identity in Mexico. The Qualitative Report, 17 (Art. 79), 1-21.

Stewart, C. O., Pitts, M. J., & Osborne, H. L. (2011). Mediated intergroup conflict: The discursive construction of “Illegal Immigrants” in local news media in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 30, 8-27. DOI: 10.1177/0261927X10387099

St. John, B. III., Pitts, M. J., & Adams-Tufts, K. (2010). Disconnects between news framing and parental discourse concerning the state-mandated HPV vaccine: Implications for dialogic health communication and health literacy. Communication and Medicine, 7(1), 75-84.

Pitts, M. J. (2009). Identity and the role of expectations, stress, and talk in short-term sojourner adjustment: An application of the integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 33, 450-462. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2009.07.002

* Kaplan, M., Nussbaum, J., & Becker, J. C., Fowler, C., & Pitts, M. J. (2009). Communication barriers to family farm succession planning. Journal of Extension, 47 (5), Article Number 5FEA8, available at www.joe.org.

* Pitts, M. J., Raup-Krieger, J. L., Kundrat, A., & Nussbaum, J. F. (2009). Mapping the processes and patterns of family organ donation discussions: Conversational styles and strategies in live discourse. Health Communication, 24, 413-425. DOI: 10.1080/10410230903023469

* Pitts, M. J., Fowler, C., Kaplan, M., Nussbaum, J., & Becker, J. (2009). Dialectical tensions underpinning family farm succession planning. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 37, 59-79. DOI: 10.1080/00909880802592631

* Pitts, M. J., & Miller-Day, M. (2007). Upward turning points and positive rapport development across time in researcher-participant relationships. Qualitative Research, 7, 177-201. DOI: 10.1177/1468794107071409

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* Nussbaum, J. F., Pitts, M. J., Huber, F., Krieger, J. L., & Ohs, J. (2005). Ageism and ageist language across the life span: Intimate relationships and non-intimate interactions. Journal of Social Issues, 61 (2), 285-303.

Invited Articles

Pitts, M. J., & Watson, B. M. (2012). Epilogue: Trends and forecasts in language and social psychology scholarship. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 31, 437-446. DOI: 10.1177/0261927X12446613

Pitts, M. J., & Harwood, J. (2009). Reflections on language and social psychology research from ICLASP11, Tucson, Arizona. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 28, 337-342. DOI: 10.1177/0261927X09341835

Pitts, M. J., & Nussbaum, J. F. (2006). Integrating the past and paving the future: An examination of language and social psychology. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 25, 197-202. DOI: 10.1177/0261927X06289421

Invited Reviews/Encyclopedia Entries

Pitts, M. J. (accepted; forthcoming). Acculturation strategies. Invited contribution to the International encyclopedia of intercultural communication (4k words). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Pitts, M. J. (2010). Culture shock. In R. Jackson II (Ed.), Encyclopedia of identity (pp. 189-193). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Pitts, M. J. (2010). Intercultural personhood. In R. Jackson II (Ed.), Encyclopedia of identity (pp. 397-401). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Pitts, M. J. (2008). Review of B. Sherif Trask and R. R. Hamon’s (2007) edited volume, Cultural diversity and families: Expanding perspectives. Journal of Family Communication, 8, 96-100.

Work in Progress

Pitts, M. J., Kenski, K., Smith, S., & Pavlich, C. (in progress). Viewing political documentary and engaging in focus group discussion as acts of political engagement. Target journal: Journal of Applied Communication Research.

Kim, S., & Pitts, M. J. (in progress). International students’ communication accommodation on Facebook and cross-cultural adjustment. Target journal: Human Communication Research.

Pitts, M. J. (invited, in progress). Savoring as a positive communication construct. Invited as Presidential Address publication in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology.

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Pitts, M. J. (invited, in progress). Qualitative methods. Invited contribution to the Encyclopedia of Intergroup Communication. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Pitts, M. J., Kim, S., & Stanley, S. (in progress). Cues to (in)action in HPV prevention among college males. Target journal: Journal of Health Communication.

Pitts, M. J., Stanley, S., & Kim, S. (in progress). College males’ attitudes and perceptions of roles and responsibilities regarding sexual health and HPV prevention on college campuses. Target journal: Qualitative Health Research.

Conferences/Scholarly Presentations (limited to period in current rank)

Invited Talks – International

Keynote, Presidential Address (forthcoming) at the 15th International Conference on Language and Social Psychology to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, June 22-25th, 2016. Talk title: Communication Savoring.

Invited Talks – National

Invited speaker at the Communication and Social Action: A Prescription for Healthy Communities Conference held at Central Michigan University March 24-25, 2010. Talk title: Gardasil's “One Less” Campaign: Implications for Family Decision-Making and Community Action Regarding the HPV vaccine.

Invited Talks – Regional

Keynote speaker for the University of Arizona Human Resources Spring Luncheon (May, 2013). Talk title: Enhancing quality of life through everyday talk: The importance of positive communication in the workplace and beyond.

Keynote speaker for the University of Arizona Parking and Transportation Department of the University of Arizona year end banquet (May, 2013). Talk title: Healthy habits and positive communication: Making the most out of everyday encounters.

Invited speaker at the University of Arizona Cancer Prevention and Control Symposia (September, 2012). Talk title: “We can always opt out, you know”: HPV vaccine decision-making and outcomes within the context of a state mandate.

Invited speaker at the Humanities Junior Faculty Forum at Old Dominion University (March, 2008). Talk title: “Let’s do it the way we’ve always done it”: The communication dance and dialectical tensions underpinning family farm succession planning.

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Invited Symposia Speaker – International

Pitts, M. J. (June, 2010). Gossip and other types of everyday talk in identity development in intergroup settings. Invited paper presented as part of the New Directions in Identity Studies: Roundtable Discussion Exploring Identities in Intergroup Communication, Language, Culture, and Globalization at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology 12, Brisbane, Australia.

Pitts, M. J. (May, 2009). An intergroup perspective on keywords in intercultural communication: Culture, communication competence, and the management of multiple identities. Invited paper presented as part of the theme session on Culture, communication competence, and intercultural communication held at the International Communication Association in Chicago, IL.

Pitts, M. J. (July, 2008). Competently managing multiple identities in a globalized era: The case of sojourners. Invited paper presented as part of a theme session on globalization and identity at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology held in Tucson, AZ.

Invited Symposia Speaker – National

Pitts, M. J. (forthcoming, November 2016). Savoring as a Communication Phenomenon: Construct Development and Application. Invited presentation at the Positive Communication’s Civic Callings Preconference to be held at the National Communication Association Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

Pitts, M. J. (November, 2010). To vaccinate or not: Family decision-making about the HPV vaccine and mandate. Invited paper presented at the Communication and Decision Making Across the Lifespan: A Collaborative Summit to Advance Theory, Research, Application, and Pedagogy Preconference of the National Communication Association Conference held in San Francisco, CA.

Pitts, M. J. (November, 2007). You say good-bye and I say hello: Dancing with the spirit between life and death. Invited paper presented as part of the panel “Diverse pathways to dying in later life: Making meaning of death and dying for older adults and their families” at the Communication and Aging Division of the National Communication Association held in Chicago, IL.

Invited Symposia Speaker – Regional

Pitts, M. J. (April, 2007). Interpersonal and Intergroup influences on well-being during life transitions: The case of US student sojourners. Invited for roundtable discussion in the Health as the crossroad among communication disciplines: A roundtable discussion of ecological approaches to health communication symposium held in the Health Communication Division of the Eastern Communication Association, Providence, RI.

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Symposia Participation

2016 Submitted, chaired, and moderated a spotlight panel at the International Listening Association Conference entitled, Listening locally: Narratives of cultural and identity transition in Tucson explored and explained through theories of intercultural communication. March 11, 2016, Tucson, AZ, USA.

Papers Competitively Selected and Ranked for Conference Presentation

i Denotes international, n denotes national, r denotes regional

i Pitts, M. J., Kim, S., & Stanley, S. (accepted). Cues to (in)action: The role of language in HPV vaccination promotion among young adult males. Paper competitively accepted for presentation at the 15th International Conference on Language and Social Psychology to be held in Bangkok, Thailand June 22-25, 2016.

i Kim, S., & Pitts, M. J. (accepted). International students’ communication accommodation on Facebook and cross-cultural adjustment. Paper competitively accepted for presentation in the Intercultural Communication Division of the International Communication Association annual convention to be held in Fukuoka, Japan June 9-13, 2016.

i Pitts, M. J., Stanley, S., & Kim, S. (accepted). College males’ perceptions of benefits and barriers to the HPV vaccine. Paper competitively accepted for presentation in the Health Communication Division of the International Communication Association annual convention to be held in Fukuoka, Japan June 9-13, 2016.

n Stanley, S., & Pitts, M. J. (November, 2015). Mothering as a life course event: A visual and textual analysis of messages targeting pregnant women. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the Scholar to Scholar Session as part of the Communication and Aging Division of the National Communication Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV, USA.

i Pitts, M. J. (top paper) (May, 2015). Advancing the communication model of sojourner reentry adjustment. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the annual convention of the International Communication Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA.

i Pitts, M. J., Kenski, K., Smith, S., & Pavlich, C. (May, 2015). Viewing political documentary and engaging in focus group discussion as acts of political engagement. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the annual convention of the International Communication Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA.

r Brooks, C. F. & Pitts, M. J. (February, 2015). Online discourse and identity (ethnic, multi-cultural, and inter/national) among learners engaging across borders. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the annual meeting of the Western States Communication Association, Spokane, WA, USA.

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n Smith, S., Patmos, A., & Pitts, M. J (November, 2014). Home is where the work is: Communication channel satisfaction, personality, and job satisfaction for teleworking employees. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the annual convention of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL, USA.

n Pitts, M. J., & Brooks, C. F. (November, 2014). Student communication and identity in a globally-connected classroom context. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the annual convention of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL, USA.

i Brooks, C. F. & Pitts, M. J. (June, 2014). Group affiliation/identity work online: Voices from a Hawaiian, Korean-American, and a British student in an internationally-connected classroom. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology14, Mānoa, HI, USA.

i Smith, S. A., & Pitts, M. J. (June, 2013). Confirmed: Surveillance, relational satisfaction, and social media use among romantic partners. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the Interpersonal Communication Division of the International Communication Association, London, UK.

i Fowler, C., Fisher, C., & Pitts, M. J. (June, 2013). Conversation openers about later life care between adult children and parents. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the Interpersonal Communication Division of the International Communication Association, London, UK.

n Pitts, M. J. (November, 2012). Hemingway’s Paris: A moveable feast for students. Literary performance piece as part of the “Performing Literary Florida: Peninsular Community of Texts” performance at the National Communication Association Conference, Orlando, FL, USA.

i Pitts, M. J. (June, 2012). A cross-sectional and time sequential analysis of re-entry narratives from US student sojourners. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology13, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

i Pitts, M. J., Smith, S. A., Fowler, C., Fisher, C. (June, 2012). Politeness in adult children’s conversation openers with parents about later life health care. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology13, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

n Pitts, M. J., & Adams-Tufts, K. (November, 2011). Considering Parents’ and Daughters’ Voices in Decision Making about the State-Mandated HPV Vaccine: An Application of the Small Group Decisional Regret Theory. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the National Communication Association Conference, New Orleans, LA, USA.

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r Pitts, M. J. (January, 2011). Searching for Selves in Mexico City. Paper competitively selected for presentation at The Qualitative Report Second Annual Conference at the Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.

i Pitts, M. J. (June, 2010). Positive communication: New directions in the practice of health communication and wellness. Paper competitively selected for presentation as part of the Health, Counselling, and Wellness symposium at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology12, Brisbane, Australia.

n St. John, B., & Pitts, M. J. (November, 2009). Disconnects between media framing and parental discourse concerning the state-mandated HPV vaccine: Implications for a dialogic health communication. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the Applied Communication Division of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL, USA.

r Pitts, M. J., & Adams-Tufts, K. (April, 2009). What parents need to know about the new Virginia HPV vaccine mandate: Implications for information seeking and parental decision-making. Paper competitively selected for presentation at the Applied Communication Division of the Southern States Communication Association Conference, Norfolk, VA, USA. Top Paper Award.

r Stewart, C. O., & Pitts, M. J. (April, 2009). Mediated intergroup conflict: The discursive construction of “Illegal Immigrants” in local news media in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Paper presented as part of the competitive panel, “Experiencing boundaries in a changing world: The reflection and construction of group identities in language and discourse” in the Language and Social Interaction Division of the Southern States Communication Association Conference, Norfolk, VA, USA.

i Pitts, M. J., Kaplan, M., Fowler, C., Nussbaum, J., & Becker, J. (May, 2008). Dialectical tensions and praxis underpinning family farm succession planning. Paper competitively selected for presentation in the Interpersonal Communication Division of the International Communication Association Conference, Montreal, Canada.

n Pitts, M. J., Krieger, J. L. R., & Kundrat, A. (November, 2007). Mapping family organ donation discussions: Topic initiation, persuasive appeals, and reasoning in live discourse. Paper competitively selected for presentation in the Health Communication Division of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL, USA.

i Pitts, M. J. (May, 2007). Preparing US American sojourners for short term adjustment and positive intergroup relations: An application of expectancy violations theory and the intercultural theory on cross-cultural adaptation. Paper competitively selected for presentation in the Intergroup Communication Interest Group at the International Communication Association Conference, San Francisco, CA, USA. Top Four Paper Award.

Pitts CV 18 of 19

Grants and Contracts

2013 $1,800. Principal Investigator. Recipient of competitive University of Arizona SBSRI (Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute) Small Faculty Grant to study Perceived barriers to and benefits of the human papillomavirus vaccine among college-aged males.100% effort.

2008 $3,300. Co-Principal Investigator (with Kimberly Adams-Tufts, Nursing, Old Dominion University). Recipient of competitive SEECR (Summer Experience Enhancing Collaborative Research) Grant awarded by the Old Dominion University Office of Research Foundation for Barriers to and Facilitators of Effective Family Discussions and Decision-Making about the State Mandated HPV Vaccine. My portion was 50% effort.

List of Collaborators on Grants and Publications

Faculty Collaborators and Current Affiliation

Adams-Tufts, Kimberly. Old Dominion University, USA, Nursing.

Brooks, Catherine. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication/School of Information.

Fisher, Carla. University of Florida, USA, Advertising Department.

Fowler, Craig. Massey University, New Zealand, School of Communication, Journalism & Marketing.

Harwood, Jake. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Hummert, Mary Lee. University of Kansas, USA, Office of the Provost.

Kenski, Kate. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Socha, Thomas. Old Dominion University, USA, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts.

Stewart, Craig. University of Memphis, USA, Department of Communication.

Watson, Bernadette. The University of Queensland, Australia, School of Psychology.

Graduate Student Collaborators and Affiliation during Collaboration

Castonaguay, Jessica. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Filer, Christine. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

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Kim, Sara. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Osborne, Helena. Old Dominion University, USA, Applied Linguistics.

Patmos, Alyssa. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Pavlich, Corey. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Smith, Stephanie. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

Stanley, Samantha. University of Arizona, USA, Department of Communication.

List of Graduate Advisors

Thesis Advisor Current Affiliation Miller-Day, Michelle Chapman University, USA, Department of

Communication.

Dissertation Co-Advisors Current Affiliation Miller-Day, Michelle Chapman University, USA, Department of

Communication.Nussbaum, Jon Pennsylvania State University, USA, Communication Arts

and Sciences.