McComas, Katherine Anne
Associate Professor
Katherine A. McComas (PhD, Cornell) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University, where she specializes in science, environmental, and risk communication. She holds bachelors’ degrees in journalism and in French from the University of Missouri, a master’s degree in international relations and international communications from Boston University, and a doctorate in communication from Cornell University. Prior to returning to Cornell as an assistant professor in 2003, Dr. McComas worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park.
research
research and scholarship focus
Dr. McComas` research focuses on public participation and community involvement in discussions, planning, and decision making about environmental and public health risks. Much of her research examines on the use of public meetings for risk communication and public participation, where she investigates the influence of procedural justice considerations on participants’ judgments of trust, their satisfaction with the process, and their willingness to engage in future public participation activities. Her work has also examined communication related to real or potential conflicts of interest among federal advisory committee members and attitudes toward clinical trial enrollment.
primary investigator of
- IMPROVING METHODS FOR PATIENT ACCRUALS TO CLINICAL TRIALS (IMPACT) | Research Grant
co investigator of
research areas
- breast cancer | collaborative research area (CALS)
- cancer research | collaborative research area (CALS)
- community development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- nanotechnology | research concentration area (Engineering)
- nanotechnology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- science and technology studies | collaborative research area (CALS)
domestic geographic focus
- New York State | state
submitted impact statement
- Risk communication and lung cancer screening | 2007 Impact statement
- Public engagement in collective deliberation about nanoscale science and engineering for agriculture and food systems| | 2007 Impact statement
- Improving Methods for Patient Accural to Clinical Trials (IMPACT) project | 2007 Impact statement
- Public engagement in collective deliberation about nanoscale science and engineering for agriculture and food systems| | 2006 Impact statement
- Public participation in the investigation of cancer clusters | 2006 Impact statement
- Public participation in the investigation of cancer clusters | 2005 Impact statement
- Public participation in the investigation of cancer clusters | 2004 Impact statement
- Investigating the perceived credibility of FDA advisory committee meetings | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Communication (COMM) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Communication | graduate field
teaching
teaching focus
Dr. McComas? teaching and research interests center around communication between technical and non-technical audiences. Courses taught at the university level include Communication and the Environment, Risk Communication, Planning Communication Campaigns, and Community Involvement in Environmental Decisions.
teaches
- ALS 4960 - Internship (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4970 - Individual Study in Communication (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4980 - Communication Teaching Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4990 - Independent Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7970 - Graduate Independent Study (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7980 - Communication Teaching Laboratory (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7990 - Graduate Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4210 - Communication and the Environment (TR 11:40:AM-12:55:PM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4970 - Individual Study in Communication (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4980 - Communication Teaching Experience (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4990 - Independent Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 6210 - Advanced Communication and the Environment (TR 11:40:AM-12:55:PM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 6830 - Qualitative Research Methods in Communication (R 01:25:PM-04:25:PM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 6860 - Risk Communication (T 01:25:PM-04:25:PM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7970 - Graduate Independent Study (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7980 - Communication Teaching Laboratory (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7990 - Graduate Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 3760 - Planning Communication Campaigns (TR 11:40:AM-12:55:PM) | fall 2008 class
service
outreach focus
Dr. McComas` extension/outreach objectives are to strengthen and expand current theoretical knowledge of public participation, communication, and community deliberation in public and environmental health risk contexts through systematic research. This research will comprise a foundation from which to offer pragmatic suggestions or solutions to practitioners and citizens dealing with health or environmental risk.
background
awards and distinctions
2003 Pathfinder Award for Advising a Master's Thesis
featured in
- 100-mile-per-gallon car and climate-related campus courses showcased at Duffield exhibition | Cornell Chronicle feature
- As the Big Red goes green, climate conference builds bridges across campus | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Merrill scholars honor high school, Cornell teachers | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
speaker at Cornell event
Keywords: and environmental communication, community involvement, conflict of interest, credibility, environmental communication, public participation, risk, risk communication, science, science communication, trust