Chris Outzen

Chris Outzen serves as a Teaching Professor and Director of Forensics in the Communication and Journalism Department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's College of Arts and Sciences. Since joining UWEC in fall 2020, he has revitalized the forensics program while maintaining active leadership roles in national forensic organizations including the American Forensic Association and Valley Forensic League.

His academic credentials include an MFA in Forensics from Minnesota State University-Mankato and a BA in General Communication from the University of Northern Iowa, where he competed in public address events. This competitive background informs his pedagogical approach to developing student voice and identity through forensic education.

Outzen's research examines stress and burnout among forensic professionals, mentorship of marginalized identities, and liminal spaces within forensic culture. His queer autoethnographic work explores the intersection of identity, emotional labor, and communication pedagogy, with particular focus on LGBTQ+ experiences in competitive speech contexts. Recent scholarship increasingly addresses accessibility barriers and resistance strategies against burnout in coaching.

His 13+ publications reveal consistent engagement with forensic education's evolving challenges, demonstrating how competitive speech intersects with broader social issues like representation, accessibility, and identity politics. The trajectory shows growing emphasis on well-being frameworks and queer perspectives within forensic communities.

Notable honors include:

• Larry Schnoor Distinguished Service Award (2024, American Forensic Association)
• Quality Award Honoree (2021, Minnesota State University)
• Bob R. Derryberry New Forensic Educator Award (2018, Pi Kappa Delta)
• Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award (2015, American Forensic Association)

As Director of Forensics, Outzen mentors UWEC's competitive speech and debate team while serving as executive secretary of the Valley Forensic League and editorial board member for the National Forensic Journal. His classroom practice extends to courses in intercultural communication, gender studies, and professional communication, where he implements pandemic-era pedagogical innovations documented in Faculty Focus.

Outside academia, he enjoys board games with his husband and reading contemporary fiction, maintaining work-life balance that informs his research on professional burnout.