Courtney N. Wright

Dr. Courtney N. Wright is Associate Professor & Director of Honors Program. Her interdisciplinary research program examines the implications of interpersonal communication, conflict and related cognitive processes on well-being. Behaviors of focus in her work include social confrontation, intergroup dialogue, persuasion, teasing, and the darker sides of human interaction.

Broadly described, her engaged scholarship informs how people manage conflict, engage in difficult dialogues, and communicate across differences in organizations, educational settings, and communities. She also pursues these interests through facilitating workshops for organizations, education professionals and community groups. Her training and related experiences in diversity education facilitation and civil/family mediation further inform her scholarship and outreach.

Dr. Wright’s multidisciplinary background spans the social sciences, humanities, and STEM disciplines. Her diverse teaching experiences and undergraduate studies in secondary education (B.S., Vanderbilt University) inform her interests in communication effectiveness, conflict management and diversity, equity and inclusion issues in higher education. She also enjoys working with students, GTAs, faculty and administrators across disciplines to build capacities for facilitating dialogue, creating inclusive learning environments, addressing bullying and incivility, and enhancing teaching and learning effectiveness and innovation.

Education

• Ph.D., Northwestern University

Research Interests

• Interpersonal/Intergroup Communication
• Conflict Management & Difficult Dialogues
• Equity, Inclusion & Communicating Differences
• Instructional Communication & Teacher-Training
• Communication Training & Development