Chris Ingraham

Chris Ingraham is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, where he has been serving since July 2021. He is also on the core faculty of the Environmental Humanities Graduate Program. His academic career bridges communication studies, environmental humanities, and cultural theory, with a focus on how material, aesthetic, and affective practices shape our environments.

Dr. Ingraham's educational background demonstrates a strong foundation in the humanities:

• BA in English from Amherst College
• MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago
• PhD in Communication from the University of Colorado - Boulder

Before entering academia, Ingraham worked as a freelance writer, environmental journalist, and in publishing at the Knopf Group in New York. This professional background informs his interdisciplinary approach that brings together insights from across the humanities to address contemporary environmental and technological challenges. His research interests span communication and media studies, cultural studies, literary studies, philosophy, creative and professional writing, and environmental communication.

His scholarly trajectory reveals a progression from examining digital media and social platforms to increasingly focusing on ecological and environmental concerns. His work connects rhetorical theory with contemporary environmental challenges, exploring how communication practices shape our relationship with the more-than-human world. A strong thread throughout his scholarship is the examination of non-discursive and affective dimensions of communication, particularly how material environments and objects participate in meaning-making processes.

Dr. Ingraham has received recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• Rising Star in Humanities Award (2020) from the College of Humanities, University of Utah
• Top Paper Award (2020) from the Western States Communication Association
• Faculty Fellows Award (2020) from the University Research Council
• Fulbright Scholar in Digital Culture at the University of Bergen (2018)

As an educator, Ingraham teaches courses including Environmental Communication: Critical Plant Studies, Foundations of Communication, Ecology of Residency, and Rhetorical Posthumanism. His teaching reflects his research interests, emphasizing critical approaches to environmental communication and the intersection of media, rhetoric, and ecological thought. While specific student advisees aren't listed in the available information, his courses suggest he mentors students interested in environmental humanities, media studies, and rhetorical theory.

Institutionally, Ingraham serves on the Advisory Board of the Society for the Study of Affect (since 2023) and participates in the Rhetoric, Culture, and Advocacy Interest Group of the Western States Communication Association. He was also a member of the Legislative Assembly of the National Communication Association from 2021-2023, demonstrating his engagement with professional organizations in his field.