Converging News
December 2012
In this issue of Converging News:
- Faculty Spotlight: Melissa Gotlieb
- Faculty Spotlight: Rebecca Ortiz
- Faculty Spotlight: Melanie Sarge
By Sara Krueger, photo by Riannon Rowley
Melissa Gotlieb joined the College of Media & Communication in Fall 2012 and teaches
Advertising & Society and Political Advertising. Gotlieb's research focusing on consumer
motivation explores how advertisements tap into existing consumer motivations and
political consumerism. Her studies relate to the topics people consider when purchasing
a product, such as the environment, labor conditions, and the treatment of animals.
Gotlieb primarily uses quantitative research to complete her research.
Gotlieb has been involved with academic research for about eight years. Her interest
in social cognitive psychology led her to conduct research on the effects of news
stories on readers. Gotlieb also has studied the effects of political advertisements
on outcomes, such as trust and voter behavior. Gotlieb hopes to expand on political
consumerism in the future by studying whether certain products are purchased in public
or private and how that factor affects consumers' purchasing decisions.
Gotlieb was interested in Texas Tech University because of the university's reputation
for research. She said she liked the fact that Media & Communication was its own college
instead of a department, and she said she saw great research opportunities. Gotlieb
was interested in the college's course offerings because the courses matched her teaching
interests. Gotlieb said she became interested after her interview because Texas Tech
seemed like a great place to meet people and share ideas. Gotlieb also was impressed
with the students, and she said she believes getting involved with academic research
is beneficial to students.
“I know that most students are looking to work in applied areas,” Gotlieb said. “But
I think it is really important for them to understand the audience perspective. A
lot of their classes are focused on how to create ads or how to do consumer research,
but I think it's also equally important to understand how those things you put out
there in the environment will have an effect.”
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By Sara Krueger, photo by Riannon Rowley
Rebecca Ortiz joined the College of Media & Communication in Summer 2012 and teaches
Media Literacy and Account Planning. Ortiz taught a special topics course titled Sex,
Drugs and Rock n' Roll this past summer. Ortiz's research interest is a combination
of health communication and social marketing with a specific focus on sexual health
issues with young adults and adolescents. Ortiz described herself as a ‘mixed methods'
person, and she said she chooses qualitative or quantitative methods depending on
the question she hopes to answer.
Ortiz's involvement with academic research started in her graduate education. She
spent time in the advertising industry conducting market research, but her interest
in sexuality in the media inspired her to attend graduate school. Ortiz said she
worked with one of the most prominent sex and media researchers in the country. Ortiz
has helped to develop campaigns that address the HPV vaccine, teen pregnancy and prevention,
STD testing, and the prevention of sexual assaults on college campuses. Ortiz worked
with MTV and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to study
how the popular show “16 and Pregnant” made teens think about teen pregnancy.
The collegial atmosphere attracted Ortiz to Texas Tech. One of Ortiz's fellow graduates
from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill took a job at Texas Tech and said
wonderful things about the university to Ortiz. The upward progression of the College
of Media & Communication and the college's focus on research were other aspects of
the university that interested Ortiz. The friendly nature of the faculty members made
Ortiz feel welcome, she said.
Ortiz's future research interests include ways to promote positive sexual health
among the young adult and adolescent populations. She hopes to connect with local
organizations and institutions for future projects. Ortiz said getting involved with
academic research prepares students to work in the advertising industry.
“Academic research and marketing research ask a lot of the same questions, so academic
research allows you to prepare to work in both areas,” Ortiz said.
By Sara Krueger, photo by Riannon Rowley
Melanie Sarge joined the College of Media & Communication in Fall 2012 and teaches
Advertising & Society and Advertising Theory. Sarge's research interests are health
and the environment. She uses theoretical concepts from psychology to apply to message
design. She studies how the messages motivate people to take the action intended by
an advertisement. Sarge also explores how changing message designs affects whether
people seek out messages on their own time. Sarge primarily uses quantitative methods
for her research.
Sarge became involved in academic research in 2007 upon entering graduate school
at the Ohio State University. She immediately began studying media psychology and
message design. Sarge's past research relates to ways that self-relevant information
in the media triggers autobiographical memories and ways that people use media to
create or reinforce identities. Sarge plans to continue working with health message
design, she said, and she wants to explore more environmental topics, such as attitudes
toward water issues and climate change.
Sarge said the steps Texas Tech is taking toward becoming a top-tier research university
appealed to her. She said Texas Tech is in a transition period that encourages research
efforts and offers a great deal of support. Sarge said using academic research in
the classroom helps students understand clients and audiences later when they enter
their careers.
“In anything you do, you have to know about your audience and client,” Sarge said.
“In Advertising Theory, we get in the minds of consumers, and that's important for
any position you would want, not just in advertising, but also management or marketing.”
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