Tharon Howard

Tharon Howard is a Professor and Program Director of Professional Communication & Information Design at Clemson University's College of Arts and Humanities, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Purdue University, specializing in rhetoric & composition and literary theory. His research focuses on usability testing, user experience (UX) design, content strategy, and social media dynamics. Howard has directed the Usability Testing Facility and contributed to pedagogy in technical communication. He has authored/co-authored books such as UX Writing: Designing User-Centered Content and edited volumes on digital publishing and online communities.

Education

• Ph.D. English, Purdue University (1992)
• M.A. English, Purdue University (1987)
• B.A. English, University of Missouri-Kansas City (1985)

Research Interests

Howard's work explores UX design, content strategy integration, academic-industry partnerships, and the viability of online communities. His recent projects emphasize AI-driven content development, governance in client-driven courses, and student advocacy in social justice frameworks. He frequently presents at conferences like IEEE ProComm and SIGDOC, advocating for constructivist research methodologies and ethical UX practices.

Awards and Recognition

• Fellow Elevation, Society for Technical Communication (2023)
• Ken Rainey Award for Excellence in Research (2017)
• J. R. Gould Award for Teaching Excellence (2011)

Grants and Labs

Howard has secured grants for usability studies and ethics initiatives. He co-founded EthicsHub, a distributed ethics community in STEM fields (NSF-funded). His work in curriculum development includes the Cultural Literacies Across Media program and the Multimedia Authoring Lab.

Professional Contributions

As a series editor for the ATTW Technical and Professional Communication series, he bridges academic and industry needs. He advises on usability testing facilities and has mentored numerous graduate students through client-based projects.