Amy Bree Becker, Ph.D.

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies and a member of the Graduate Faculty at Towson University.

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010, earning my Ph.D. from the joint graduate program in Mass Communications. I was advised by Dietram Scheufele and was affiliated with both the Department of Life Sciences Communication and the School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

My research focuses on four areas in the field of communication: (1) public opinion and citizen participation on controversial political issues, (2) the political effects of exposure and attention to political entertainment, especially late night comedy, (3) new media, and (4) science communication.

I teach MCOM 490: Mass Communication Research, the department's Capstone course for graduating seniors, and MCOM 631: Research Methods in Mass Communication, the department's graduate research design and methods course for MA students. In Fall 2012, I will be teaching a new seminar that brings my research into the classroom. The course is entitled, "Popular Culture & Politics: Comedy, Entertainment, Celebrity, and Democracy."

I have published in a variety of communication and interdisciplinary social science journals including The International Journal of Press/Politics, The International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Mass Communication & Society, Political Communication, and Social Science Quarterly.

I often offer media commentary on my research, political comedy, public opinion, polling, and the new media environment. I also blog about political communication and new media at Fresh Politics, New Media.

I have experience teaching introductory and upper-level courses on communication theory, mass communication, strategic communication, and political communication. I previously served as a Project Assistant at the University of Wisconsin Survey Center. I continue to work with colleagues affiliated with the Nanotechnology in Society Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study the social, legal, and ethical implications of nanotechnology.

Before graduate school, I worked in the world of political polling and corporate market research, providing analysis and strategic insight to political candidates running for national and state office and for major corporations looking to redefine their brand image.

I graduated from Brown University with an A.B. in Political Science in 2000. Before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I completed previous graduate coursework at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.

While I'm excited to explore my new home town of Columbia, MD, as a New Jersey native, I remain a loyal fan of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.