Pitts CV 1 of 19
SECTION 4: CURRICULUM VITAE AND LIST OF COLLABORATORS
Chronology of Education
2001-2005Ph.D.Pennsylvania State University
Major Field: Communication Arts and Sciences
Dissertation: “The Role of Communication in Cross-National Adjustment and Identity Transitions among Student Sojourners”
Advisors: Jon F. Nussbaum and Michelle Miller-Day
1999-2001M.A. Pennsylvania State University
Major Field: Speech Communication
Thesis: “Cultural Identity and Patterns of Social Support among United States American Students Abroad”
Advisor: Michelle Miller-Day
1997-1999B. A. Arizona State University
Major Fields: Communication and French
1996-1997Northern Arizona University
Major Field: French (study abroad)
1994-1996Arizona State University
Major Fields: Communication and French
Chronology of Employment
2011-presentAssistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Arizona.
2006-2011Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts,
Old Dominion University.
2005-2006Visiting Lecturer, Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara.
1999-2005Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.
Honors and Awards
2015Top Paper Award, Intercultural Communication Division of the International Communication Association, for Advancing the communication model of sojourner reentry adjustment.
2009Top 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.
2007Top 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.
2005Carroll Arnold Award for Excellence in Research by a Graduate Student, Pennsylvania State University, Communication Arts and Sciences.
2004Kathryn DeBoer Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Assistant, Pennsylvania State University, Communication Arts and Sciences.
2004Research and Graduate Studies Office Course Release ($4,000) to conduct dissertation research in France, Pennsylvania State University.
2002Outstanding Thesis Award, International and Intercultural Communication Division, National Communication Association.
2002Research and Graduate Studies Office Travel Award, Pennsylvania State University.
Service/Outreach (limited to period in current rank)
Local/State Outreach
2016Directed 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.
2009 & 2010Co-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.
2008Co-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
2007-2016Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Communication and Aging Division.
2015Legislative Assembly Representative for the Communication and Aging Division.
2013-2014Immediate Past Chair of the Communication and Aging Division.
2013-2014Chair of the Outstanding Book/Article Committee of the Communication and Aging Division.
2013-2014Legislative Assembly Representative for the Communication and Aging Division.
2012-2013Chair of the Communication and Aging Division.
2011-2012Vice Chair Elect of the Communication and Aging Division.
2011-2012Member, Outstanding Book/Article Committee of the Communication and Aging Division.
Southern States Communication Association
2008Paper Reviewer for the Undergraduate Honors Conference.
International Service and Leadership in Professional Organizations
International Association of Language and Social Psychology
2016-2018President (term starts in June, 2016).
2016Scientific Review Committee for the Murachver Student Award.
2016Scientific Review Committee for the Works in Progress.
2014-2016Vice President Elect.
2012-2016Regional Representative (North America).
2012Scientific Review Committee.
2006-2012Treasurer.
International Communication Association
2015Research Escalator Mentor.
2007-2011Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2009-2010Co-Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2008-2009Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2008Scholarly Paper Reviewer for the Intercultural Communication Division.
2007-2008Co-Chair of the Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
National and International Editorial Service
2016Guest Editorial Board Member of the Science Communication Special Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, forthcoming.
2014-presentEditorial Board, Journal of Language and Social Psychology.
2014-presentEditorial Board, International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, Wiley-Blackwell.
2012Guest 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).
2009Guest Editor, Harwood, J., & Pitts, M. J (Eds.) (2009). Special Issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 28 (4) [conference proceedings].
2008Guest 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
Pitts CV 1 of 19
Communication Monographs
Communication Quarterly
Communication Research Reports
Communication, Culture, & Critique
Health Education
Health Psychology
Human Communication Research
International and Intercultural Communication
International Journal of Communication
International Journal of Intercultural Relations
Journal of Applied Communication Research
Journal of Asian Pacific Communication
Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
Journal of Communication
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Personal Relationships
Psycho-Oncology
Qualitative Research
Qualitative Health Research
Research on Aging
Pitts CV 1 of 19
Book Manuscript/Proposal Reviewer
2016Routledge (handbook on Communication and Happiness).
2012Peter Lang (scholarly book on Positive Communication).
Invited Participation/Leadership at Professional Meetings
2016Session 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.
2016Co-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.
2014Respondent, Applied and Health Communication Research, Scholar to Scholar Session, National Communication Association Conference.
2013Chair, Top Four Papers in Communication and Aging, National Communication Association,Communication and Aging Division.
2012Chair, Individual Papers on Intergroup Communication,International Conference on Language and Social Psychology.
2012Respondent, Extended Session: Top Four Papers in Intergroup Communication: Immigration Issues in Applied Contexts, International Communication Association,Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2012Chair, Top Four Papers in Communication and Aging: Intergenerational Satisfaction, Social Support, and Culture,National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.
2012Co-Chair (with Ray Benkendorf), Research on Communication and Aging Revisited: Four Perspectives, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.
2010Co-organizerCo-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.
2009Discussant,International Association of Language and Social Psychology (IALSP) Presents Common Ground Keynotes and Keywords with ICA,International Communication Association.
2009Panel Chair,Identity as Keywords in Communication Across and Between Groups: Roundtable Discussion Following IALSP, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2009Panel Chair & Respondent, Top Four Papers in IntergroupCommunication, International Communication Association,Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2009Respondent, Interpersonal Communication Studies I, Southern States Communication Association,Undergraduate Honors Conference.
2008Respondent, In Pursuit of Positive Aging: Examining Identity, Health, and Work in Later Life, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.
2008Panel Chair,Diverse Contexts for Intergroup Communication: Culture, Peer Groups, Health, and Sports, International Communication Association, Intergroup Communication Interest Group.
2007Respondent, Competitive Papers on Communication and Aging, National Communication Association, Communication and Aging Division.
Departmental Committees
2016 (July 1)Director of Graduate Studies, University of Arizona, Department of Communication.
2012-presentMember, Graduate Committee, University of Arizona, Department of Communication.
2010-2011Member, Search Committee for full time lecturer appointment, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.
2009-2010Member, MA in Lifespan Communication and Digital Media Development, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.
2009-2010Member, Curriculum Revision Committee, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Old Dominion University.
2008-2009Coordinator, 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
2010-2011Member, Long-Range Planning Committee,College of Arts and Letters, Old Dominion University.
2009-2010Member, 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
- Sara Kim (with Jake Harwood; expected Spring 2019)
- Stephanie Smith (Spring 2015)
- Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech University
PhD Committee Member University of Arizona
- Sheila Springer (expected Spring 2017)
PhD Comprehensive Examination CommitteeUniversity 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
- ElifGuler (Winter 2012)
PhD Communication Minor Comprehensive Examination Committee University of Arizona
- Diane Daley (Spring 2015)
MA AdvisorUniversity 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.
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.
*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.
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
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 .
*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
*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.
Pitts, M. J. (invited, in progress). Qualitative methods.Invited contribution to the Encyclopedia of Intergroup Communication.Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.