Samer Melhem

Biography

Samer Melhem (Ph.D., Texas Tech University, 2019) is a course lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas Tech University College of Media & Communication. He recently earned his doctoral degree in Media & Communication at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

Research

Dr. Melhem's research interests include cultural influence on organizational communication, minority groups representation in media, millennials, cross-cultural couples, online teaching and mindfulness, and communication apprehension. His dissertation employed a mixed-method approach to compare the influence of cultural background (i.e., individualism and collectivism) on communication apprehension in an employment interview setting in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. He also researched American college students' perceptions of minority groups in the U.S. media (i.e., Hispanics, Arabs, and Asians).

Publications

Melhem, S., & Punyanunt-Carter, N. M. (2019). Using Cultivation Theory to Understand American College Students' Perceptions of Arabs in the Media. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 1–13. doi:10.1080/13602004.2019.1625258.

Punyanunt-Carter, N., Oviedo, M., & Melhem, S. (2018). College students' perceptions of television portrayals of Hispanics. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, DOI: 10.1080/17459435.2019.1650817.

SELECTED CONFERENCE PAPERS

Melhem, S., & Almekdash, H., Melhem, L. (2019). Conflict in academia: Organizational conflict among faculty. Paper presented at ICA: 69th Annual Conference, Washington D.C.

Melhem, S., & Punyanunt-Carter, N. (2018, February). Using YouTube and Google apps in your classroom! Paper presentation presented at TCEA Convention and Exposition, Austin, TX.

Teaching Focus

• COMS 2320 Communication in Nursing
• COMS 3355 Communicating in Organizations
• COMS 3302 Communication Research
• COMS 2300 Public Speaking
• MCOM 2310 Business and Professional Communication
• MCOM 3380 Research Methods
• MCOM 2350 Communicating in Global Society  
• MCOM 4325 Media Entrepreneurship

Leadership & Awards

Awarded Helen Devitt Jones Fellowship – 2016-2019
Awarded AT&T Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship – 2016-2019
Awarded Thomas Jay Harris Graduate Student Fellowship – 2018-2019