Professor of Communication Kathryn Greene will receive five awards from the National Communication Association at the NCA 109th Annual Convention to be held November 16-19 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland.

“Amazing news – congratulations! So wonderful to see your labor of so many years being recognized and celebrated,” said SC&I Interim Dean and Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies Dafna Lemish.

Professor of Communication and Chair of the Communication Department Marya Doerfel said, "That Dr. Greene’s NCA awards represent all areas of what university faculty do – scholarship, teaching, and service is unique. It is very difficult and rare to achieve such high recognition across all three areas, let alone just one. What a testament to her passion for her work – these awards highlight her significant intellectual contributions, her deep commitment to students and colleagues, and her contributions that have a real impact in support of some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

Of Greene’s five awards, four will be awarded by the NCA Health Communication Division and one will be awarded by the NCA Family Communication Division.

NCA Health Communication Division awards Greene will receive:

• Distinguished Book Award for Greene et al.'s “Privacy and Disclosure of HIV in Interpersonal Relationships: A Sourcebook for Researchers and Practitioners” (2003, Erlbaum). The Distinguished Book Award recognizes research that has made, or offers the promise of making, a significant contribution to scholarship in health communication theory, research, and/or practice. 
• Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award. This award recognizes a significant and original contribution, in the form of a monograph, book, and/or program of research, to the study and application of the field of health communication. There are five criteria for this award. The scholar’s work must have: (a) a significant and long-lasting effect on the field of Health Communication; (b) strong heuristic value; (c) influence over others’ work; (d) originality regarding theory, research, and/or practice; and (e) contributed to the development of Health Communication as a distinct field of study.
• The Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor Award. This award recognizes significant contributions to the field of health communication through advocacy for the discipline and mentorship of its members.
• The Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award. This award recognizes a division member who has clearly demonstrated excellence in promoting equity and inclusion in health communication.

NCA Family Communication Division award Greene will receive:

• The Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award for Greene et al.'s “Privacy and Disclosure of HIV in Interpersonal Relationships: A Sourcebook for Researchers and Practitioners” (2003, Erlbaum). This award seeks to recognize outstanding scholarly texts that contribute significantly to the field of family communication. Greene’s nominators wrote, “This book embodies the best of the Communication field: a rigorous application of social science methods, focusing on a key social issue, producing findings which contribute to important bodies of research, but also has long-lasting implications for professionals and lay-persons alike in how families manage privacy.”

"This landslide of awards within the Health Communication division is a true testament to Kathryn's exceptional career,” said Associate Professor of Communication Maria Venetis, who is the former NCA Health Division Pre-Conference Chair. “This division is one of the largest and most active divisions within the National Communication Association, and many distinguished scholars submit applications to the same awards that she has just won. Kathryn is a leader and exemplar in the Health Communication Division, and it's rewarding to see how the division is honoring her contributions and commitment."

SC&I Associate Professor of Communication Kristina Scharp, who is the Immediate Past Chair of the NCA Family Communication Division, said, “The Family Communication Division could not be happier seeing the inaugural Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award going to Dr. Kathryn Greene and her colleagues. This book is a masterful illustration of how communication theory informs practice. We are delighted to recognize the outstanding work of Dr. Greene and her colleagues."

Greene’s research program explores health decision-making related to various health risks or the central role of communication in preventing risk and maintaining health and wellness in individuals and populations. The two main thrusts of her research are: 1) increasing involvement in message processing and exploring prevention message features, especially targeting adolescent risk-taking; and 2) exploring how people choose to share or conceal health diagnoses, updates, or coordinate other information as they manage illness.

Greene is a Member of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and holds a Joint Appointment with The Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy. Greene is also an Affiliate of the Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies (CTS).

The NCA “advances Communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media, and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry,” according to its website.

Learn more about the Communication Department at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information on the website.