Moody College advertising associate professor named AAAS Fellow

Moody College of Communication advertising associate professor Anthony Dudo is one of 11 University of Texas at Austin faculty members elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society.

The honor recognizes important contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics — including pioneering research, leadership within a given field, fostering collaborations, and advancing public understanding of science. 

Dudo was selected because of his contributions to science communication research and the practice of science communication education and training. He joins a distinguished group of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized with this lifetime achievement.

“Since I was introduced to AAAS nearly 20 years ago, it has been a key organization through which I have been able to connect with other researchers and practitioners who are deeply committed to advancing science communication,” Dudo said. “I look forward to many more years of doing this work, and I am profoundly thankful for the important role AAAS plays in helping to build relationships between science and society.”

This year’s other fellows include faculty from the College of Natural Sciences, the Cockrell School of Engineering and the Jackson School of Geosciences. They join more than 53 colleagues at the University who have earned the lifetime distinction. Nationally, AAAS elected 502 new fellows this year.

In addition to his faculty appointment in the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, Dudo is also program director of science communication for Moody College’s Center for Media Engagement. His research focuses on scientists’ public engagement activities, media representations of science and environmental issues, and the contributions of journalism and entertainment media to public perceptions of science. 

Dudo is also the faculty committee chair of UT’s cross-disciplinary minor in science communication and teaches courses focused on science communication and integrated brand promotion. He is a member of the Standing Committee for Advancing Science Communication of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and co-authored the book “Strategic Science Communication: A Guide to Setting the Right Objectives for More Effective Public Engagement.”

Dudo earned his bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Delaware. His first job was in marketing for a natural history museum, where his work intersected daily with scientists. He recognized how important it was to help them better communicate the value of their work and decided, then, to shift his career to focus on the study and practice of science communication, helping people in STEM fields share about their research and practice so the public can make better choices about the environment, health and all the issues that scientific discovery supports.

“Effective communication takes time, expertise, money, effort, evaluation,” Dudo has said. “The model for science communication for a long time has been serendipity, the opposite of scientific theory."

Dudo’s current research explores how participation in public engagement activities contributes to different aspects of scientists’ mental well-being, such as their personal resilience, feelings of burnout and professional fulfillment, as well as how curricula and pedagogy, professional development and training, and promotion structures can be evolved to integrate effective communication into the culture and practice of STEM.     

The new fellows will be featured in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science this month and will be honored at a ceremony in Washington this September.