The Visual Expeditions and Related Adventures of a Teacher, Scholar, and Administrator

Abstract

The chapter describes the evolution of a teacher-scholar’s academic and professional career, beginning with his undergraduate education in architecture, his transition from graduate student in literature to a faculty member in business and professional communication, and his early teaching experiences and affiliation with the Association for Business Communication (ABC). He describes his interactions with a large cohort of faculty at Iowa State University and the development of a doctoral program, which paralleled the growth of the discipline. The chapter also documents his multifaceted, interdisciplinary exploration of visual communication in both his research and teaching, reflects on how he has used business communication principles in administration, and describes his small role editing the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. He concludes by providing several takeaways for the next generation of teacher-scholars entering the field of business communication.