Keri K. Stephens, PhD, is a Professor in Organizational Communication Technology, a Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Co-Director of the Technology and Information Policy Institute in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Her interdisciplinary research program examines the role of technology in organizational practices and organizing processes, especially in contexts of crisis, disaster, and health. She has authored over 100 articles appearing in research journals, proceedings, and books, received 23 top paper panel awards at conferences, and her two most recent books are the award-winning book New Media in Times of Crisis (2019, Routledge), and the 2-time, national-level, award-winning book Negotiating Control: Organizations and Mobile Communication (2018, Oxford University Press). Stephens’ research is often externally funded (over $6 million as PI or CoPI) by organizations like the National Science Foundation (NSF), Merck, TxDOT, and TWDB and she was recently selected into the UT Austin Research Leaders Academy. She runs the OPTIC Lab (Organizing Practices through Technology, Information, & Communication), and is a former Chair of the ICA Mobile Communication Division, Secretary of the ICA Organizational Communication Division, and Chair of the Training and Development Division of NCA. She gave a TEDx Talk about her NSF-funded work on social media and how people were rescued from flooding during Hurricane Harvey.
Stephens teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Organizational Communication, Communication Technologies, Grant Writing, Communicating to Build Sales Relationships, and Communication Studies Internships. She is the founding Co-Chair of the joint McCombs-Moody Professional Sales & Business Development Minor, and she has published with 59 different graduate students, 15 undergraduate students, and 9 industry/community collaborators. Her teaching has been honored at the University level with the President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award, the Eyes of Texas Teaching and Mentoring Award, and the Academy of Distinguished Teachers at UT Austin. She was also selected for the Organizational Communication Division of NCA’s Outstanding Mentor of the Year Award.
