Presidential Citation

The American writer Zora Neale Hurston once wrote, “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”

Your ability to poke and pry is only matched by your determined purpose to unveil what is perhaps most fundamental to human relations: the art of communication.

A native of England, you joined Fairleigh Dickinson in 1999 and have taught courses including Interpersonal Communication, Communication Theory and Corporate Communication. An active and admired professor, you have been named Becton College Teacher of the Year and received the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Outstanding Faculty Award.

Your research focuses on philosophical and critical treatments of the communication process, using as a foundation the pivotal work of the French philosopher Michel Foucault. You have published four major books, including On the Philosophy of Communication and On Eco, a creative introduction to the work of cultural and literary theorist Umberto Eco. No less a figure than Eco himself reached out to congratulate you because, as he said, you “got it right.”

You have written more than 20 articles for prestigious publications like the American Communication Journal. You further have made presentations at nearly 100 national and international conferences, covering topics as diverse as John Locke, subliminal persuasion and popular images and conceptions of the library. On three occasions, your outstanding work has been selected as a Top Paper.

In 1993, you founded the New Jersey Journal of Communication — now known as the Atlantic Journal of Communication — which has gained a superior reputation in its field. In recognition of your vision and stewardship building the journal, you received the 1997 New Jersey Communication Association Leadership Award.

Both your teaching and your research are sprinkled with popular references ranging from Pink Floyd to Monty Python’s Flying Circus. How many have connected the theories of John Locke with the lyrics of Led Zeppelin?

And music for you is more than a means to bring academic lessons to life, it’s a source of immense passion. A guitarist, you can be frequently found with a Les Paul strapped around your shoulder, playing such original tunes as “Untenured Blues” and “Foucault Funk.”

For academic performances and compositions that string together great meaning, we bestow upon you the Distinguished Faculty Award for Research and Scholarship.

Press Release, Dated September 29, 2005

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD FOR RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTED TO GARY RADFORD

Teaneck, NJ (September 28, 2005)—Fairleigh Dickinson University honored Gary Radford, professor of communication and director of the Master’s program in Corporate and Organizational Communication at FDU, with the Distinguished Faculty Award for Research and Scholarship on September 28, 2005.

“The American writer Zora Neale Hurston once wrote, ‘Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose,’” began Dr. Willard Gingerich, University provost and senior vice president, when presenting the award. “Your ability to poke and pry is only matched by your determined purpose to unveil what is perhaps most fundamental to human relations: the art of communication.”

A native of England, Dr. Radford joined Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1999 after spending nine years working in the Department of Communication at William Paterson University. He teaches courses in Interpersonal Communication, Communication Theory, Communication Philosophy, and Corporate Communication, drawing on his unique background in semiotics, international approaches to communication, and subliminal persuasion. An active and admired professor, he was named Becton College Teacher of the Year and received the Educational Opportunity Fund Outstanding Faculty Award in 2003.

Dr. Radford’s research focuses on philosophical and critical treatments of the communication process, using the work of the French philosopher Michel Focault as a foundation. He has published four major books, written more than 20 articles for prestigious publications, and has made presentations at nearly 100 national and international conferences. He was a founding editor of The New Jersey Journal of Communication in 1993 and has been editor of the journal since 1995.

Trained on classical guitar since the age of 13, Dr. Radford often uses music references as a way to bring academic lessons to life. “Both your teaching and your research are sprinkled with popular references ranging from Pink Floyd to Monty Python’s Flying Circus. How many have connected the theories of John Locke with the lyrics of Led Zeppelin?” Gingerich asked amusedly during Wednesday’s ceremonies.

Radford earned his B.A. at Sheffield City Polytechnic (now Sheffield Hallam University) in Sheffield, England, graduating in the top 5% of his class. He received his M.S. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and his Ph.D. from Rutgers.

“For academic performances and compositions that string together great meaning, we bestow upon you the Distinguished Faculty Award for Research and Scholarship,” said Gingerich.