Welcome Dr. Roselia Mendez Murillo

The newest member of the department is Dr. Roselia Mendez Murillo. She finished her Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara in the fall and is brand new to the Austin area. This spring she is teaching a course on the Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication and she can be reached via email at roselia.mendezmurillo@austin.utexas.edu.

In an article on the Moody College website, Mendez Murillo described her work this way:

“Through my research, I work to serve Latinx immigrant families. To do this, I try to develop strong relationships with members of their community, listen and learn from community members, incorporate their needs and insights into the research questions and design, and translate my findings in ways that can benefit the community. In working toward this goal, I invite students to participate in the entire research process so that they may become more aware of their community while honing their research skills.

“I rely on Latinx communities’ stories and unique perspectives to develop and apply communication theory, so that it is more inclusive and relevant to my community. My own lived experience has helped inform my research as it allows me to identify the gaps in understanding the systematic barriers and inequities that can hinder the health of immigrant Latinx families.

“My goal is to conduct research that uncovers assets and resources at multiple levels that can reduce academic and health inequities among Latinx communities in the United States. My research then informs my teaching because I provide students with different cultural and theoretical perspectives. My aim is for students to engage in discussion and critical thinking regarding worldviews outside of their own.”

The department warmly welcomes Dr. Roselia Mendez Murillo!