About the professor ...
Lauren Reichart Smith is a doctoral candidate at The University of Alabama, and serves as both an instructor and research assistant in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. She's previously served as a professor at Wallace State and Jefferson State in Alabama and Georgia Highlands College in Georgia.
She has bachelor's degrees in English and Communication from Fairfield University. In 2000 she presented a study on comparisons of body language in initial meetings, specifically in interview situations, at the DePauw 26th Annual Undergraduate Honors Conference.
Lauren earned her master's degree in Communication Management from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her thesis focused on analyzing audiences with regards to television newscasts and the booming growth of the internet as a new media source.
As a doctoral student, Lauren's interests lie in media portrayals, particularly within sports, uses and effects of social media, and the construction of new media models. She has presented papers at the annual conferences of AEJMC, ICA, SSCA, and NCA. She has also had a guest appearance on KKIQ and Diablo Valley 92.1 (KKDV) Radio to discuss the use of social networking sites in political campaigns.
Formerly a television producer, she worked in the Birmingham and Atlanta TV markets. In 2005, she was honored with an Emmy nomination for a public service announcement she produced.
Lauren was once an All-American gymnast and a Division I springboard diver. In her spare time now, she is an avid photographer, enjoys scuba diving, and grabs any opportunity possible to still turn flips and dives.