Faculty | Communication Studies | SIU

Communication Studies

Nilanjana R. Bardhan is a Professor of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She has a B.A. (honors) from Lady Shriram College for Women (Delhi University) in English literature and philosophy (1991), an M.S.J. from the E.W Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, in public relations/advertising (1994), and a Ph.D. also from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, in international/intercultural communication, critical media studies and public relations (1998).

Sakshi Bhati is an Assistant Professor in Public Relations and Leadership in the Communication Studies Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She received her B.S. degree in Communication from Pittsburg State University (2018), an M.A. in Communication from Pittsburg State University (2020) and her Ph.D. in Leadership Communication from Kansas State University (2024).

Communication Studies

Craig Gingrich-Philbrook is a Professor of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He received his B.A. from California State University in English with a creative writing emphasis (1986), an M.A. from California State University in information and communication studies with an interpersonal and organizational communication emphasis (1988) and his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Speech Communication with an emphasis in performance studies (1994).

Communication Studies

Todd Graham is a Professor of Debate and the Director of the Saluki Debate Team in the School of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He received his B.A. from Missouri Southern State College in Communication (1987), his M.A. from Kansas State University in Speech Communication (1990) and his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Communication (2000).

Communication Studies

Jonathan M. Gray is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Studies and faculty advisor for the Marion Kleinau Theatre. His primary research interests involve performative inquiries into the social construction of nature. His other scholarly interests reside at the intersections of queer identity, environmental advocacy, and aesthetic communication. 

Communication Studies

Dustin A. Greenwalt is an Assistant Professor of Practice who specializes in Rhetorical Theory and Environmental Communication in the School of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He holds a Ph.D. in Rhetorical Theory from the Communication Studies Department at the University of Georgia (2015), an M.A. in Rhetoric from the Department of Communication Studies at Baylor University (2010) and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Wayne State University (2008). 

Communication Studies

Joshua Houston is a Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He received his B.A. in Communication from Culver-Stockton College (1996) and his M.A. in Public Communication and Broadcasting from Western Illinois University (1998). His special interests include the study of public relations in sports, as well as public relations ethics.

Dr. Christina L. Ivey (she/they) is an Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. They received their B.S. in Corporate Communication from West Texas A&M (2010), their M.A. in Communication Studies from Kansas State University (2012), and their Ph.D. in Communication Studies from University of Nebraska – Lincoln (2016). While in her Ph.D. program, she held a major emphasis in Rhetoric and Public Culture and a minor emphasis in Interpersonal and Intergroup Communication. She also obtained a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from UNL. They are currently the Introductory Course Coordinator.

Communication Studies

Sandy Pensoneau-Conway is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and serves as the graduate coordinator. She received a B.S. (cum laude) in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1999), an M.S. in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2001), and a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2006). 

Shelby Swafford is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the School of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She received her B.A. in Relational Communication from the University of South Florida (2014), her M.A. in Communication Studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2016), and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in performance studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2023). She also holds an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Communication Studies

Rebecca Walker is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Texas, both in the area of Communication Studies with an emphasis in performance studies (1998; 2004), and her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in Communication Studies with an emphasis in performance studies (2011).  She currently also serves as the Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Communication Studies. 

Communication Studies

Justin R. Young is an Assistant Lecturer in Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He received his B.S. in Electronic Journalism from Murray State University (2002) and his M.S. in Mass Communication also from Murray State University (2003).