معرفی
Lisa Perks is a Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at Merrimack College's College of Arts and Sciences. She has been teaching for over 20 years, having started her academic career at Penn State. From fall 2019 to August 2022, she served as Chair of Merrimack's Communication and Media Department, during which time the department added two minors and launched a graduate program despite the challenges of the pandemic.
Dr. Perks earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Texas, Austin, an M.A. in Communication from Pennsylvania State University, and a B.A. in Communication and Sociology from Wake Forest University. Her educational background provided a strong foundation for her interdisciplinary research approach that bridges communication, media studies, and cultural analysis.
Perks' research program centers on media, culture, and power, with a particular focus on media engagement patterns. Her early work analyzed media representations of marginalized groups, especially intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and class. More recently, she has pioneered research on media marathoning (her term for 'binge-watching'), examining how audiences immerse themselves in narrative worlds and negotiate morality through these extended viewing experiences. She has also conducted significant research on TV spoiler culture, podcast listening behaviors, and media use during health challenges.
Her publications reveal a clear trajectory from traditional media studies toward contemporary digital media consumption patterns. While her early work focused on representation and discourse analysis, her more recent scholarship employs qualitative methods to understand how audiences actively engage with media in the streaming era. A notable theme across her work is how media serves as a tool for meaning-making, social connection, and coping during challenging life circumstances.
- Top paper panel selection, Kenneth Burke Division, Eastern States Communication Association, 2018
- Top paper panel selection, Communication Theory Division, Eastern States Communication Association, 2017
- Top paper, Rhetorical and Communication Theory Division, National Communication Association, 2007
- Doctoral Honors Seminar Participant, National Communication Association, 2007
- Top Three Student Paper, Mass Communication Division, National Communication Association, 2005
- Top Four Student Paper, Media Studies Division, Western States Communication Association, 2004
Professor Perks actively mentors students in research projects, as evidenced by her collaborations with Sarah Seero and Kenney Tran on podcast listening studies. Her approach to advising emphasizes hands-on research experience, connecting classroom learning with real-world media analysis. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the provided text, her sustained research output suggests successful grant acquisition to support her qualitative studies involving focus groups, interviews, and surveys.
Beyond her formal departmental role, Perks has cultivated a community-oriented presence at Merrimack College. She mentions the importance of cross-disciplinary connections, lamenting the loss of a colleague who 'nurtured a community unbounded by field of study, office building, age, or interests.' Her blog posts reveal engagement with campus life beyond the classroom, including participation in community service events like meal packing for the Merrimack Valley.
