While I work as a full professor at Brigham Young University, I have a wide range of interests and hobbies. I like to fish, hike, shoot guns, ride motorcycles, and camp. I do woodworking–I’ve built some cool things, including this canoe. One day I’d like to build my own biplane.
My dad had a sideline hobby/job raising bees and honey. As a teenager who was a little lazy and didn’t enjoy getting stung, I was severely traumatized by the whole experience. I’m mostly over it now and while it’s taken me about 30 years, I’ve begun keeping bees. I’m at nowhere near the level of my dad, but it’s fun. Life takes crazy turns.
Here’s me getting stung in the eye. Didn’t swell as much as I thought.
The kids and I all play bluegrass instruments. Some of us are more into it than others. We all helped Brennan make this video for a school project.
The kids like to tease me about my hobbies. Sadie drew this picture of the “Beehicle.”
As a professor at BYU I study media’s impact on culture. Originally, I looked at how media is used while we adapt to a new culture. Recently, that has changed to looking at how minority cultures use social media. My colleagues and I have done some pretty interesting work. You can check out my vitae for more info.
I am also the Associate Director for Graduate Studies in the School of Communications. I received a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Oklahoma (2002), an M.A. from West Texas A&M (1995), and a B.A. in communications from BYU (1995). I teach courses in intercultural and international communication, theory, research methods, and new media. I formerly taught at Penn State York and the University of South Dakota.
I grew up in Vidor, TX. My wife thinks that if we ever move back down there, I’ll go redneck feral. I hope she’s right.