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 at the Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin. With over 20 years of research experience, Dr. Stephens’ expertise includes organizational communication, mobile technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), crisis and disaster communication, and health communication. Her work is interdisciplinary and extends well beyond the field of communication.
Dr. Stephens has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and three academic books. She has received 23 top-paper panel awards and four article-of-the-year awards. Her research has attracted significant external funding, including 12 National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, 13 state grants, and various industry and foundation grants. She has delivered over 30 keynote talks internationally and across the U.S., including a TEDxTalk. Her community-engaged work has been recognized with awards from both the National and State Association of Counties.
In her professional service, Dr. Stephens has held leadership roles such as Chair of the International Communication Association (ICA) Mobile Communication Division, Secretary of the ICA Organizational Communication Division, Chair of the Training and Development Division of National Communication Association (NCA), Associate Editor for Management Communication Quarterly, and she is on eight editorial boards.
Dr. Stephens teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in Organizational Communication, Communication Technologies, Crisis Communication, Disaster Communication and the Future, 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. Additionally, she has collaborated on publications with over 90 graduate students, 15 undergraduate students, and 9 industry/community partners.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- Fellow, ICA
- Distinguished Partner, Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas
- Edited Book of the Year for the Organizational Communication Division of NCA, New Media in Times of Crisis, Routledge.
- Book of the Year for the Human Communication & Technology Division of NCA, Negotiating Control: Organizations & Mobile Communication.
- Outstanding Book Award in the Organizational Communication Division of NCA, Negotiating Control: Organizations & Mobile Communication,
- Outstanding Mentor of the Year, Organizational Communication Division of NCA
- Academy of Distinguished Teachers, UT Austin
- President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award, UT Austin
- Eyes of Texas Teaching and Mentoring Award, UT Austin
- UT Austin President’s Award for Global Learning, UT Austin
- UT Tower Award for an Outstanding Service-Learning Project, UT Austin
