Walid Afifi

Walid Afifi is a Professor in the Department of Communication and serves as Associate Dean and Director of Initiatives for Community Engaged Research and Pedagogy in the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He holds a PhD from the University of Arizona and has been recognized with prestigious awards including the UCSB Faculty Senate Teaching Award and the Esteemed Ally Award. His research focuses on uncertainty management, particularly in marginalized communities, and he developed the Theory of Motivated Information Management and the Chronic Uncertainty Framework.

Education: PhD (1996) and MA (1992) in Communication from the University of Arizona, and BA (1990) in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa.

Research emphasizes chronic uncertainty's impact on health, immigration, and community well-being. He has published extensively on topics like relational communication, communal coping in Palestinian refugee camps, and resilience during crises such as the pandemic.

Awards include Fellow of the International Communication Association (2021) and leadership roles as NCA President. His teaching spans community engagement, nonverbal communication, and uncertainty studies, with a commitment to social justice and inclusive pedagogy.