Faculty Profile for Dr. Tricia Burke

profile photo for Dr. Tricia Burke
Dr. Tricia Burke
Professor — Department of Communication Studies
CENT 205
phone: (512) 245-4064
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 I received my B.A. (2005), M.A. (2007), and Ph.D. (2012) in Communication from the University of Arizona. When I am not teaching or researching, I enjoy spending time with my partner, Kevin; our son, Charlie; and our pup. We love sunshine, mountains, music, and the beautiful San Marcos River.

Teaching Interests

 My scholarship shapes my teaching perspective and contributes to my passion for and dedication to teaching the fantastic students at Texas State. My teaching philosophy is fairly simple: I aspire to be the kind of teacher from whom I would want to learn. I try to be organized, open-minded, and responsive. I often seek and integrate student feedback into my teaching, which helps me understand my students’ perspectives and enables my growth as an instructor. I believe that effective teaching centers on connection: connecting to students; connecting ideas; and connecting material to personal, professional, and community experiences.

Research Interests

 I have always been fascinated with social skills and the ways in which our interactions influence our relational, mental, and physical well-being. Accordingly, my research interests lie at the intersection of relational and health communication, with a focus on navigating health-related interactions and well-being in the context of close relationships, workplace wellness, and social media. Recently, I started exploring the ways in which caregivers communicate with others about their experiences providing care for a loved one. This research is personally meaningful to me, and I am working towards creating a resource that will help caregivers navigate the complex communication inherent in caregiving: https://triciaburke.wp.txstate.edu/caregiving-project/.

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Farris, K. N. L., Singh, S. M., Burke, T., & Warber, K. (2023). Communicative Resilience in Parent-Caregivers of Children with Medically Complex Conditions (MCCs). Texas Speech Communications Journal, 47, 17–31.
  • Farris, K. N. L., Burns, M. E., Burke, T. J., & Bezner, J. R. (2023). Employee culture of health perceptions and the development of a training intervention. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 16(2/3), 205–221. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/1753-8351.htm
  • Burke, T. J., Young, V. J., & Duggan, A. (2022). Recognizing the blurred boundary between health-related support and control in close relationships. Personal Relationships, 29(4), 644–673. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10/1111/pere.12445
  • Crowley, J. P., Burke, T. J., Allred, R., E. G., & Denes, A. (2020). Navigating relational turbulence in the wake of weight loss transitions: A support marshaling analysis. Personal Relationships, 27(3), 630–651. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12335
  • Burke, T. J., & Rains, S. A. (2019). The paradoxical outcomes of observing others’ exercise behavior on social network sites: Friends’ exercise posts, exercise attitudes, and weight concern. Health Communication, 34(4), 475–483. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1428404

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Distinction Award in Scholarly and Creative Activity, Texas State University. 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Top Paper, National Communication Association, Training and Development Division. 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College Achievement Award in Scholarship/Creative Activity, Texas State University. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Online Teaching Award, Texas State University. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College Achievement Award in Scholarship/Creative Activity, Texas State University. 2018

Selected Grants

  • Houser, Marian L (Principal), Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc (Co-Principal), Burke, Patricia Jean (Co-Principal). Assessment of the Caregiver Communication Competence Scale, Texas State University, Texas State University, $16000. (Submitted: October 1, 2022, Funded: January 1, 2023 - May 31, 2024). Grant.
  • Burke, T. J., Burns, Michael Edward. Building a Culture of Health at Work: Assessing and Fostering Supervisor Support, Texas State University, $16000. (Funded: December 2017 - December 2018). Grant.
  • Burke, T. J (Principal), Burns, Michael Edward. Investigating Family Communication and Mental Health during the Transition to College, Research Enhancement Grant, Texas State University, $16000. (Funded: 2013 - 2014). Grant.
  • Burke, T. J. Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant, University of Arizona, $500. (Funded: 2011). Grant.
  • Carter, Kamarie B, Adi, Mohamad Nadim, Perkins, Alexandra Gonzenbach, Royal, Cindy L, Evans, Mark William, Burke, Patricia Jean, Shroff, Piyush Ravindra, Hustvedt, Gwendolyn, Rathore, Heena, Blasingame, Dale C, King, Jennifer Anne, Van Loan, Zengara A, Moon, KeriAnne Mauch, Forsythe, Michelle Elizabeth, Taylor, Adrienne, Mondal, Sejuti. CAP: Expanding AI Curriculum and Infrastructure at Texas State University to Advance Interdisciplinary Research and Grow a Diverse AI Workforce, NSF, Federal. (Funded: December 2024 - Present). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Member
WellCats Leadership Team
2017-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Award Reviewer for the Health Communication Division, National Communication Association
2024-Present
Member
Teaching Effectiveness Committee
2024-Present
Director of Online Programs
Accelerated Online Program/TXST Global
2024-Present
Member
Policy Subcommittee
2024-Present