Anthony Ocaña     Ph.D. North Dakota State University, 2008     Contact me via email

COURSES TAUGHT:

Courses: CMR 1052 Introduction to Public Speaking
CMR 1062: Introduction to Interpersonal and Group Communication
CMR 2421: Business and Professional Communication
CMR 3421: Organizational Communication Theory and Research
CMR 4900: Senior Seminar I
CMR 4901: Senior Seminar II

My courses will focus on how communication messages are developed, presented, and interpreted. Students learn how communication impacts not only personal relationships, but also helps achieve professional and organizational goals. By understanding how human interaction can foster or challenge relationships, and by being able to conduct original research that explores these phenomena, students in my classes can develop and present better communication practices that allow them to more effectively engage others and meaningfully impact their world.

My research primarily examines how conflict is managed in personal and professional lives. From the connection between first-year roommate conflict management styles on roommate relationships, to the impact of organizational crisis on conflict messages in employee emails, I have been enthralled with and actively sought to understand how people approach their most challenging interactions. By understanding and practicing better (although often counterintuitive) means of engaging in conflict communication, I believe people are more likely to achieve their socially interdependent goals.