Holly Kruse

Holly Kruse is a Professor in the Department of Communications at Rogers State University (RSU), affiliated with the School of Liberal Arts. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a postgraduate certificate in Equine Business from the University of Louisville. Her research focuses on media technology, gender studies, horse racing industry dynamics, and digital media's societal impact.

Education:

• Ph.D., Communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Institute of Communications Research)
• B.A., Political Science and History, University of Iowa
• Post-graduate Certificate, Equine Business, University of Louisville

Research Interests: Her work examines intersections of technology, culture, and social structures. Key areas include the digital transformation of horse racing, gender in media, independent music scenes, and affective networks in social media. She has authored/co-authored books like Off-Track and Online: The Networked Spaces of Horse Racing (MIT Press, 2016) and Gender and Technology: An Introduction (forthcoming 2024).

Publications: Over 30 refereed articles and book chapters, including studies on online gambling, music subcultures, and digital media's role in reshaping social spaces. Recent work explores gendered spaces in synth-pop and media class dynamics in horse racing.

Awards: Honors include the Greg Kunz Endowed Chair in Communications (RSU, 2019–2022) and recognition for her book Off-Track and Online in media research awards. She is an active reviewer for journals like New Media & Society and conferences such as AoIR.

Service: Served on RSU committees including University Assessment and Faculty Senate. Professional roles include co-founding an annual internet research teaching workshop and mentoring doctoral students. Community engagement includes volunteer work with therapeutic horseback riding programs and dog rescue initiatives.