Rich Riddle PhD Student - Technical Communication & Rhetoric

I'm a Texas native, a lifelong Star Trek fan, and a former logistics manager who spent several years negotiating deals across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East before concluding that what I was really doing, all along, was rhetoric.

That industry background shapes everything about how I approach my research. My scholarly work sits at the intersection of Thai rhetoric, transnational communication, and the responsible use of large language models in cross-cultural contexts. I'm particularly interested in what gets lost (or deliberately flattened) when AI systems translate texts across linguistic and cultural borders, and how Thai popular media carries rhetorical force that resists easy translation.

The same question that drew me to Star Trek as a kid turns out to drive my scholarly work: how does a text speak across cultural and political divides, and what can it say through genre and story that it cannot say directly? 

Most recently I've taught undergraduate writing at Texas State University (San Marcos) and St. Edward's University (Austin).

Personal website: linkedin.com/in/richardriddle

Research Interests

• Thai rhetoric and rhetorical theory
• Transnational communication and cross-cultural media
• Responsible use of AI and large language models in cross-cultural contexts
• Digital fandom communities and popular culture
• Rhetoric of genre

Education

MA in Rhetoric and Composition, Texas State University, 2023

BA in English, Minor in Media Studies, Texas State University, 2021

Courses Taught

ENG 1310: College Writing 1, Texas State University

ENG 1320: College Writing 2, Texas State University

ENG 3303: Introduction to Technical Writing, Texas State University

WRIT 1301: Rhetoric and Writing 1, St. Edward's University

WRIT 2302: Rhetoric and Writing 2, St. Edward's University

Presentations

Riddle, R. D. (2026, March 28). Khemjira must survive: Queer longing and Thai spirituality at the intersection of Thai rhetoric. Gods & Monsters Conference, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.

Riddle, R. D. (2023, March 16–19). Freedom in Thai Boys' Love: Queer representations and global fandom. American Comparative Literature Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.

Riddle, R. D. (2022, April). Brooks' "Gay Chaps at the Bar": A rhetorical analysis. English Department Colloquium, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.

Riddle, R. D. (2021, October). Star Trek's method of fictional dissemination: Applying "unpopular" ideas to a U.S. audience. English Department Colloquium, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.