Bio
Courses I teach
- Communication Studies 2110: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
- Communication Studies 2180: Conflict Management
- Communication Studies 3010: Human Communication Theory
- Communication Studies 4040: Research Seminar
- Communication Studies 4500b/5500b: Health Communication
About my teaching
Across the different institutions that I have worked, I have taught a variety of communication courses, including: Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Public Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Communication Theory, Conflict Management and Research Seminar. I am also advising two former students with an independent study using previously collected research data. My approach with teaching each of these courses is to foster a classroom environment that is engaging and student-centered. Student assessment includes a combination of individual and collaborative group assignments.
Research areas
My research interests lie at the intersection of interpersonal and health communication, with a focus on how patients and families manage and cope with chronic illness and end-of-life care. I am primarily a qualitative scholar, but I have also used quantitative methods to examine my research. For my dissertation, I developed a grounded theory to understand how parental caregivers of children living with complex pediatric chronic conditions talk about uncertainty, hope, and hopelessness. I am currently working with the SHINE Perinatal and Pediatric Palliative Care program at UnityPoint Health-Des Moines on research to understand and create information disseminated to patients and families.
Current research
Rafferty, K. A., Mir, G., & Ali, P. A. (2016). “Positionality, pregnancy, and motherhood: A first-time expectant mother’s journey to understand parents’ stories of caregiving for children with complex chronic conditions.” Manuscript currently in preparation.
This semester I am working with two undergraduate research assistants on a project that examines the spoken and unspoken “communication rules” parents have when talking about their child’s chronic illness.
Outside of the university…
I enjoy running outside, cooking recipes from Pinterest ideas, traveling throughout the US and internationally, and spending quality time with my family and friends. I am currently training for my 7th half marathon.