Peter Oehlkers

Peter Oehlkers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communication at Salem State University, where he has taught since 2002. He specializes in media history, environmental communication, and the intersection of popular culture with ecological advocacy. His work examines historical and contemporary representations of birds in media, emphasizing auditory environments and cross-species communication.

Education:

• B.A., Writing Seminars, Johns Hopkins University (1986)
• M.A./Ph.D., Communication Studies, Northwestern University (1996)

Professional Appointments:

• Assistant Professor, Emerson College (1997–2002)
• Assistant Professor, Salem State College (2002–2007)
• Associate Professor, Salem State University (2007–Present)

Research Focus: His scholarship explores bird protection history through print media, analyzing how mass communication shapes human-nature relationships. Key themes include ecological intimacy in journalism, acoustic ecology in bird/human interactions, and the rhetoric of wildlife conservation in advertising and social marketing.

Teaching: He instructs courses in audio storytelling (ENL 329, MCO 329), advertising writing (MCO 321), global communication (MCO 316), podcasting (MCO 413), and U.S. media history (MCO 333), emphasizing practical skills in digital advocacy and audience engagement.

Professional Service:

• Vice Chair, Needham Conservation Commission
• Production Editor, Bird Observer journal
• Maintains research blogs: Thornton W. Burgess Research League, Wingéd Wardens, Japanrockology, and Harrison Cady Cartoon Archive.