The Indiana University Graduate and
Professional Student Organization (GPSO) and University Graduate School (UGS)
congratulate our December student of the month, Rachel Bailey!
Rachel is a doctoral student in telecommunications and her research uses experimental,
computational and psychophysiological methods to study the dynamics of complex
human – media interactions. “My research program seeks to discover and
explicate the complex interactions among relevant individual, environmental and
media characteristics during media use that have significant downstream media
effects on important human behaviors (e.g. learning, behavior change,
enjoyment),” she explains. Rachel discovered her inner scientist while
attending the Missouri School of Journalism and went on to earn undergraduate
degrees in psychology and strategic communication. “I was curious about
what it was about certain strategic media messages that made them more
successful and psychologically affective than others,” she recalls.
Rachel earned a master’s degree focused on psychological processing of mediated
information and worked for Disney Media before starting her doctorate at
IU. Regarding this small-town Missouri girl’s proudest accomplishment,
she says, “I think the most important thing I’ve done is to earn the respect of
my peers and colleagues while doing good, interesting work. I’m sure a
lot of my successes are due to having wonderful mentors and friends that
support me.” Rachel likes to read fiction, cook, play golf, and travel.
“I have three dachshunds: Penny, Petey, and Willie, that I spoil absolutely
rotten,” she also reports. When asked the all-important question: cake or
pie? Rachel demurs, explaining that she does not eat grains, and adds, “But
before seeing the light, I would have chosen cake. Something about the
texture, I think.”
