Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture Professor Dr. Robert Asen named a 2022 NCA Distinguished Scholar

The Department of Communication Arts is honored to announce that Dr. Robert Asen has been named a 2022 Distinguished Scholar by the National Communication Association (NCA).

For over 30 years, the National Communication Association has extended this honor to scholars who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to excellence in the field of communication. As a scholar, professor, and mentor in the Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture division of the Department of Communication Arts, Dr. Asen exemplifies this commitment to excellence. Per the 2022 NCA Awards announcement:

“Dr. Robert Asen is the inaugural Stephen E. Lucas Professor of Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the premier theorist of citizenship and publics in the field as evidenced by the quality of his seven books, more than two dozen journal articles and book chapters, and the wide circulation and citation of this scholarship. Further, Dr. Asen has received nearly $1 million in external funding for his collaborative research on education and public policy discourse, making him one of the leading scholars and a tireless ambassador for the discipline, both in and beyond the academy.”

Dr. Asen was honored at the Presidential Address and Awards ceremony during the 2022 NCA Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was further celebrated by his colleagues, friends, mentees, and current students at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Reception following the awards ceremony.

A group of scholars toast and applaud Dr. Robert Asen in a hotel ballroom
Scholars from the communication discipline raise a glass in honor of Dr. Asen

The National Communication Association is a professional association for the advancement of communication as a discipline, bringing together researchers in the humanities, social science, and performance and providing support for research, career advancement, and publication. The annual conference offers thousands of members across the discipline the opportunity to share ideas, network, and celebrate outstanding scholarship. The 108th Annual Convention Honored “PLACE: People, Liberation, Advocacy, Community, and Environment,” and hosted approximately 4,000 scholars over five days.

You can learn more about Dr. Asen’s research here.