Associate Professor & Director of Honors Program

cwright@utk.edu

865-974-7066

Courtney N. Wright, PhD, is associate professor and director of the Communication Studies Honors Program. Her interdisciplinary research program examines the implications of interpersonal communication, conflict, and related cognitive processes on well-being. Broadly, her engaged scholarship informs how people manage conflict, engage in difficult dialogues, and communicate across differences in close relationships, organizations, educational settings, and communities. She also pursues these interests through creating workshops, and training and development programming. Her related experiences in dialogue facilitation, ombuds practice, and civil and family mediation further inform her scholarship, outreach, and teaching. 
   
Wright’s multidisciplinary background spans the social sciences, humanities, and STEM disciplines. Her diverse teaching experiences and undergraduate studies in secondary education (BS, Vanderbilt University) inform her interests in communication effectiveness, conflict, engagement and access in educational settings. She 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 effectiveness and innovation.