Biography

Richard West

Richard is serving as the Interim Executive Director of the Institute.  He comes to Emerson from the University of Southern Maine in Portland where he has served as Department Chair and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Richard is the (co)author of 4 books in multiple editions (Perspectives on Family Communication, Introducing Communication Theory, Understanding Interpersonal Communication, and Gender and Communication) and over 30 articles and book chapters exploring classroom communication and personal relationships.  Dr. West is also the co-editor of The Family Communication Sourcebook, an acclaimed anthology of readings that the APA Review of Books notes as “a milestone in the evolution of theories, models, and research.”  Dr. West has received a number of awards and honors, including Outstanding Alumni Awards from both Illinois State University and Ohio University.  He is currently the President of the Eastern Communication Association, the Director of the Educational Policies Board for the National Communication Association, and serves on six journal editorial boards in communication studies.