Michael Slater, professor of communication and Social and Behavioral Sciences Distinguished Professor, has been appointed director of the School of Communication, effective July 1, 2017.

Slater’s research includes theory-building efforts in message effects, persuasion, narrative influences and dynamic processes of media selection, media effects and maintenance of personal and social identity, with a particular interest in health outcomes. His other current interests include new media and health information seeking, the persuasive effects of entertainment narratives and other message design factors, longitudinal processes of message genre/channel selection and influence, methodology and research design, and almost anything that helps us understand why people are the way they are and do what they do.

Slater has published more than 130 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 40 invited articles, book chapters, edited volumes and reports.  A 2014 publication listed him as one of the top 20 cited scholars currently active in the communication discipline. 

He is a fellow of the International Communication Association and an editorial board member for Communication Research,  Journal of Communication, Media Psychology, Communication Methods and Measures, Journal of Media Psychology, Journal of Health Communication and Health Communication.