University of New Mexico
Department of Communication & Journalism
UNM Lobo  
Judith White, Ph.D.
 Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 2006
 Office: Room 230
 jmw49@unm.edu

Assistant Professor 
Mass Communication 

Research:

My research interests concentrate on the use of the mass media to communicate information about science, health, technology, and agriculture; my passion is investigating the sourcing interface between specialty journalists and public relations practitioners and public information officers who aid in such information transfer. The ultimate intent of my research is to discover and promulgate more effective methods by which mass media professionals and scholars can facilitate public understanding of issues grounded in science, health, technology, and agriculture (commonly subsumed in the phrase "public understanding of science"). Thus, my research agenda has the following two foci: (1) investigation into the uses of mass media/new media news functions to transfer science, health, technology, and agriculture knowledge to the public, about which I have already conducted significant inquiries, with further studies planned and (2) investigation into the use of informal mediated activities, such as mass media entertainment and museum exhibits, to promote public science, health, technology and agriculture literacy and subsequently to influence individual behavior and to effect positive systemic change, especially in health communication and health disparities research, about all of which I have already conducted inquiries and plan studies over the next five years. My research methods are primarily quantitative, but I use qualitative and community based participatory research when appropriate — plus I have a profound respect and appreciation for qualitative methods. I use surveys, especially online, as well as content analyses.

Sample Publications:

Published
  • White, J.M. (2012): The Communicative Action of Journalists and Public Information Officers: Habermas Revisited. Journalism Practice. 6(4):563-580.

  • White, J.M. (April 2012). Translating Technology, Science and Health: Public Information Officers as Knowledge Transfer Intermediaries. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 2(2):103-125.

  • White, J. and Rutherford, T. (2009). Impact of Reporter Beat Assignment on Source Selection in Covering Crisis Stories. Journal of Applied Communications, 93(3-4):16-31.

  • White, J.M. and Wingenbach, G. (2008). ACE Membership: A Benchmark Study. Journal of Applied Communications. 91(3-4). (Research funded by $1000 mini-grant from Achieving Communications Excellence).

  • Wingenbach, G., White, J., Degenhart, S., Smith, J. and Pannkuk, T. (2006). Relationship of Student Teachers' Knowledge and Teaching Comfort Levels with Agricultural Science and Technology Objectives. Journal of Agricultural Education. 48(2): 114-126.
  • White, J.M. (2005, Fall). "Influence of Involvement, Institutional Affiliation, and Geographic Location on Membership Retention in Voluntary Professional Organizations." Journal of Applied Communications.Vol. 89(3), 39-55 (Research funded by a $1,500 mini-grant from Achieving Communications Excellence).

In-press
  • White, J.M. (In press, January 2014). Influencing Policy Decisions: Impact of Legislator Attitudes and Demographics on Public Relations Practice. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies.

  • White, J.M. (In press, April 2013). Translating Science, Health and Technology: Reporters as Knowledge Transfer Intermediaries. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies.

  • White, J. and Wingenbach, G. (In press, 2012). Barriers to Effective Health Reporting: Impacts of Attitudinal Differences between Public Information Officers and Mass Media Journalists. Journal of Public Relations Research.

  • White, J., Willis, M., and Stohr, R. (In press, 2012). Legislators' Reliance on Mass Media as Information Sources: Implications for Symmetrical Communication between Public Information Officers, Public Relations Practitioners and Policymakers. PRism.
Under review
  • White, J.M. (Under review, 7/31/2012). The Little Explanations That Weren't There: Missing Scientific Principles in Newspaper Stories about the Wakefield MMR-Autism Controversy.

  • White, J.M. and Rutherford, T. (Revised and resubmitted, 7/11/2012). Impact of Newspaper Characteristics on Reporters' Agricultural Crisis Stories: Productivity, Story Length, and Source Selection. Journal of Applied Communications.

  • White, J., Willis, M., and Stohr, R. (Under review, 6/11/2012). Public Relations and Constructing State Healthcare Policy Agenda: Implications of Legislator Information Source Preferences and Use of Email Technology.
Articles Appearing in Chapters in Edited Volumes
  • White, J.M., Brandon, V. and Singhal, A. (Forthcoming). Communicating Health on the Border: Barriers, Challenges, and the Role of Entertainment Education. In J. Bruhn, J. Brandon, Ed. Issues in U.S. - Mexico Border Health: An Ecological Perspective. Amsterdam: Springer.
Other Writings

Because I have been a working journalist, editor and public information officer for more than 20 years, my non-scholarly published works are too numerous to list by title. Samples are available for inspection upon request.

Authors: Scholarly — Elizabeth Avery, Ruthann Lariscy, Anthony Giddens, Jurgen Habermas, Everett Rogers, Barbara Gastel, Andy Fields, David Dillman; Fiction — Ken Follett, Lee Child, Michael Connolly.

Teaching Style: Interactive, experiential, dramatic, fun. Love online instruction.

Favorite Classes: Anything in Strategic Communication, writing, diffusion of innovations, research methods.

Why UNM?: Academic reputation, research interests of fellow C&J faculty, location in beautiful north central New Mexico, diverse student body.

Spare Time: Reading, movies, hiking, working out at the gym, spending time with my fantastic spouse.

[UNM Logo]