His leadership will continue to drive innovation and development in the social sciences, digital media and communication disciplines

Dean James Simon of Fairfield University's College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) announced that David Gudelunas, Ph.D., is joining his office as an associate dean. He will assume the position at the start of the Spring 2015 academic semester.

Dr. Gudelunas, a New York, N.Y., resident and chair of the College's Communication Department, came to Fairfield in 2004 after receiving his M.A. and Ph.D. at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his B.A., with honors, from the University of San Francisco.

"We are fortunate to have an innovative, creative, experienced individual like Dr. Gudelunas assume this leadership role," Simon said. "He will continue to drive forward-thinking approaches in the fast-growing areas of social sciences, communication and digital media."

Dr. Gudelunas was promoted to associate professor in 2009 and has served as chair of the Department of Communication since July 2012. From 2011 through 2013, he served as the director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies during which time the interdisciplinary minor took on a new name and renewed direction. He continued as a co-director of the program through 2014.

Long involved with Fairfield's residential colleges and other student-centered initiatives on campus, Dr. Gudelunas also supervised the Communication internship program before becoming department chair. He has served as chair of numerous faculty committees including Research, Advancement and Admissions and Scholarship. He is currently serving on the University's cross-functional ‘outcomes' task force as part of the Fairfield 20/20 Strategic Plan.

Dr. Gudelunas researches and teaches both graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of critical and cultural studies, gender, sexuality and communication, new media technologies and communication industries. He is the author of "Confidential to America: Newspaper Advice Columns and Sexual Education" (Transaction Publishers, 2008) and is widely published in the areas of popular and consumer culture as well as the intersections of sexuality and communication. His work has appeared in the Journal of Homosexuality , Popular Communication, Psychology & Marketingand numerous edited volumes.

Dr. Gudelunas serves on the editorial boards of Sexuality and CultureandQED . He has also appeared in local and national media, including MSNBC, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor , News 8 Connecticut, Connecticut Post and the LA Daily News . He is a contributor to The Huffington Post and a prolific Tweeter.

Dr. Gudelunas lives in Manhattan where he has also consulted on research and insights for a variety of iconic brands. You can follow him @gudelunas.

Posted On: 10-27-2014 03:10 PM

Volume: 47 Number: 87