"It Happens in Translation:" Inaugural Presentation of the Emily Rauscher Award for Applied Research

The University of Utah has long been recognized as a powerhouse of applied research, fielding a deep bench of talented scholars and students taking on some of the most complicated and intractable problems society faces. The College of Humanities is no exception, boasting many faculty who are deeply committed to research that translates directly into the public good. 

The Edna Anderson-Taylor Communication Institute, housed in the Department of Communication, supports that commitment to societal impact, with a mission to encourage critical thinking that places applied communication at the forefront. The institute recently created the Emily Rauscher Award for Applied Research in honor of Emily Rauscher, a U of U assistant professor of communication who passed away suddenly in 2019 shortly after joining the university. 

Kevin Coe, professor of communication and director of the Communication Institute, says, “This award means a lot to many of us who were fortunate to know Emily. Even though she was here at the U for only a short time, she made an impact. And we're grateful to be able to carry her legacy forward in this way."

This year, the Communication Institute recognized Marleah Dean Kruzel, associate professor of communication at University of South Florida, with the inaugural Emily Rauscher Award for Applied Research. Her research in health communication focuses on understanding and improving cancer communication, particularly the communication of genetic cancer risk information. 

Dean Kruzel was motivated to dedicate her career to applied research because of family experiences with breast cancer—first, her 38-year-old mother, then an aunt navigated the disease. Later she would also learn that a great-grandparent had died of the same cancer. In 2013, she tested positive for an inherited mutation in the BRCA2 gene, which increases her lifetime risks for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other cancers. Now, as both a scholar and a “previvor,” she works to improve communication about health risks and uncertainty.

Says Dean Kruzel, “My work focuses on how communication can impact health experiences, decisions, and outcomes by developing communication interventions and tools;” the very types of communication that have been so impactful in her own family. 

Dean Kruzel, who was a friend and collaborator of Rauscher, says, “This award is professionally meaningful because of my scholarly commitment to conduct applied health communication research that seeks to address real-world problems/issues that are socially-relevant and timely. It is also personally meaningful because I would not be the professor, researcher, and speaker I am today without her and her friendship.” 

Coe praises the selection of Dean Kruzel, saying, “Dr. Dean Kruzel is an ideal recipient to inaugurate the Rauscher Award. Her research is rigorous and generative, and her impressive efforts to translate that research in ways that help it reach a wider audience really honor the memory of Dr. Rauscher."

In the midst of a successful career, Dean Kruzel encourages students who are interested in applied research in communication as well. Her advice? “Collaborate with people outside of academia. I have learned so much from my patient communities, non-profits organizations, and clinician-researchers I work with, which has not only improved my research but also made me more passionate about my translational work.” 

She adds, “Additionally, think about  how you are going to disseminate your research findings when you are developing your research study. Research impact doesn’t happen at publication. It happens in translation. Publishing in peer-reviewed journals is essential—but it’s only one audience.” Spoken like a true applied communication scholar! 

____________

About the Edna Anderson-Taylor Communication Institute

The Edna Anderson-Taylor Communication Institute, housed in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, serves as a crossroads to bring together scholars, practitioners, and students from across campus, the Salt Lake City community, and beyond. The Institute encourages critical thinking about the role communication plays in some of society’s most pressing challenges and how communication-based approaches can help address them. To advance this mission, the Institute offers a range of opportunities, including a speaker series, workshops, symposia, and research support. Through these efforts, the Institute seeks to broaden understanding of the contemporary communication research landscape and foster connections across academic disciplines and professional approaches.