COAS Interdisciplinary Colloquium Series: Sydney E. Brammer and Rachel E. Riggs Achorn

Dr. Brammer will present a collaborative research program in progress focused on understanding and addressing interpersonal harm in collegiate

music programs. Drawing on theoretical and practical applications from communication and media studies, the program uses a mix of disciplinary

approaches, including public health, higher education, and sociology. She will then highlight two studies centered on memes and the role of humor in identity and community building, coping, and understanding scientific information. Hint: there are American Girl dolls and invasive aquatic species...oh my.

Dr. Achorn will present her research on how people talk about and make sense of tough topics like mental health, and how this research intersects with health, psychology, and even coastal biology. She will begin with a study about parents’ negative emotional responses to adolescents’ mental illness disclosure, followed by research examining how adolescent girls perceive sexual assault narratives in entertainment media. Lastly, she will preview a collaboration among COAS faculty to create stunning videos of the Webb property that can be used to help students reduce their state anxiety and increase their nature appreciation. Together, Sydney and Rachel’s work reflects many approaches to media and communication research that are strengthened by interdisciplinary considerations and collaborations.