
Sonia H. Stephens, Ph.D.
Education
- Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from University of Central Florida (2012)
- M.S. in Botany and Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from University of Hawaii at Manoa (2003)
Research Interests
Scientific and technical communication; Narrative information visualization; Risk communication; User-centered design; Digital humanities
Selected Publications
Articles/Essays
- D. E. DeLorme, S. H. Stephens, R. Collini, D. W. Yoskowitz, and S. C. Hagen (2021)
“Communicating and understanding ecosystem services assessment with coastal
stakeholders: Obstacles and opportunities.” Frontiers in Communication. 6: 656884. DOI: 10.3389/fcomm.2021.656884
- T. R. Amidon, A. C. Nielsen, E. H.
Pflugfelder, D. P. Richards, and S.
H. Stephens. (2021) “Visual risk literacy in “Flatten the Curve”
COVID-19 visualizations.” Journal of
Business and Technical Communication. 35: 101–109. DOI: 10.1177/1050651920963439
- S. H. Stephens, D. E. DeLorme, and S. C. Hagen. (2020) “Coastal stakeholders’ perceptions of sea level rise adaptation planning in the northern Gulf of Mexico.” Environmental Management. 66: 407–418. DOI: 10.1007/s00267-020-01315
- D. E. DeLorme, S. H. Stephens, M. V. Bilskie, and S. C. Hagen. (2020) “Coastal decision-makers’ perspectives on updating storm surge guidance tools.” Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. 28(2): 158–168. DOI: 10.1111/1468-5973.12291
- S. H. Stephens and D. P. Richards. (2020) “Story mapping and sea level rise: Listening to global risks at street level.” Communication Design Quarterly. 8(1): 5–18. DOI: 10.1145/3375134.3375135
- S. H. Stephens and D. E. DeLorme. (2019) “A framework for user agency during development of interactive risk visualization tools.” 28: 391–406. Technical Communication Quarterly. DOI: 10.1080/10572252.2019.1618498
- S. H. Stephens. (2018) “Using interface rhetoric to understand audience agency in natural history apps.” Technical Communication. 65(3): 280–292.
- D. E. DeLorme, S. H. Stephens, S. C. Hagen, and M. Bilskie. (2018) “Communicating with coastal decision-makers and environmental educators via sea level rise decision-support tools.” Journal of Science Communication. 17(3): A03. DOI: 10.22323/2.17030203.
- S. H. Stephens. (2019) “A narrative approach to interactive information visualization in the digital humanities classroom.” Arts and Humanities in Higher Education. 18(4): 416–429. DOI: 10.1177/1474022218759632
- D. E. DeLorme, S. H. Stephens and S. C. Hagen. (2018) “Transdisciplinary sea level rise risk communication and outreach strategies from stakeholder focus groups.” Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences. 8:13–21. DOI: 10.1007/s13412-017-0443-8
- J. D. Applen and S. H. Stephens. (2017) “Digital humanities, middleware, and user experience design for public health applications.” Communication Design Quarterly. 5(3): 24-34.
- S. H. Stephens, D. E. DeLorme and S. C. Hagen. (2017) "Evaluation of the design features of interactive sea-level rise viewers for risk communication." Environmental Communication. 11(2):248-262. DOI:10.1080/17524032.2016.1167758
- D. E. DeLorme, D. Kidwell, S. C. Hagen, and S. H. Stephens. (2016) “Developing and managing transdisciplinary and transformative research on the coastal dynamics of sea level rise: Experiences and lessons learned.” Earth’s Future. 4(5): 194–209. DOI: 10.1002/2015EF000346.
- S. H. Stephens, D. E. DeLorme and S. C. Hagen. (2015) “Evaluating the utility and communicative effectiveness of an interactive sea level rise viewer through stakeholder engagement.” Journal of Business and Technical Communication. 29(3): 314-343. DOI: 10.1177/1050651915573963
- S. H. Stephens, D. E. DeLorme and S. C. Hagen. (2014) “An analysis of the narrative-building features of interactive sea level rise viewers.” Science Communication. 36(6): 675-705. DOI: 10.1177/1075547014550371
- S. H. Stephens. (2014) “Communicating evolution with a Dynamic Evolutionary Map.” Journal of Science Communication. 13(1): A04.
- S. Stephens. (2012) “From tree to map: Using cognitive learning theory to suggest alternative ways to visualize macroevolution.” Evolution: Education and Outreach. 5(4): 603-618.
Conference Papers/Presentations
- S. H.
Stephens and A. Altamirano, October 2021. “Understanding
user expertise through lived experience: Making natural hazard risk and
mitigation information more accountable to users.” SIGDOC 2021, virtual. DOI: 10.1145/3472714.3473660
- S. H.
Stephens and J. D. Applen, October 2021. “Developing
online resources to inform technical communication majors about graduate school.”
CPTSC 2021, virtual.
- Y.R. Fernández and S. H. Stephens, October 2021. “Applying user-centered design to
improve astronomy outreach.” American Astronomical Society Division of
Planetary Sciences 53rd Meeting, virtual conference.
- A. Altamirano and S. H. Stephens, February 2021. “Web content audits: A powerful tool for complex website design.” Symposium on Communicating Complex Information, Norfolk, VA.
- S. Raffel and S. Stephens, July 2020. “How hurricane visualization tools affect the public’s perception of risk and preparedness.” ProComm 2020, Kennesaw, GA.
- S. H. Stephens, October 2019. “Telling the stories of nonhuman agents in the Anthropocene.” SIGDOC 2019, Portland, OR.
- S. H. Stephens, June 2019. “Using digital tools for community disaster response: Social media and the 2018 Kīlauea Volcano eruption.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Orlando, FL.
- S. H. Stephens, March 2019. “Using deep mapping in participatory design.” Association for Teachers of Technical Writing, Pittsburgh, PA.
- S. H. Stephens and D. P. Richards, August 2018. “Story mapping and sea level rise: Bringing a global risk home.” SIGDOC 2018, Milwaukee WI.
- S. H. Stephens and D. P. Richards, June 2018. “Connecting to community concerns through sea level rise stories.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Washington, DC.
- S. H. Stephens, D. E. DeLorme, R. C. Collini, and S. C. Hagen, June 2018. “An analysis of stakeholder advisory committees in coastal resiliency projects.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Washington, DC.
- S. H. Stephens and D. E. DeLorme, December 2017. “Benefits, challenges, and best practices for involving audiences in the development of interactive coastal risk communication tools: Professional communicators’ experiences.” American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2017, New Orleans, LA.
- S. H. Stephens. November 2017. "Rhetoric, agency, and risk visualization for diverse audiences." HASTAC 2017, Orlando, FL.
- S. H. Stephens, August 2017. "Designer perceptions of user agency during the development of environmental risk visualization tools." SIGDOC 2017, Halifax, Canada.
- S. Stephens and J. D. Applen, October 2016. “Rhetorical dimensions of social network analysis visualization for public health.” ProComm 2016, Austin TX.
- S. H. Stephens and D. E. DeLorme, June 2016. “Making sea level rise risk research responsive to community needs.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Washington, DC.
- S. H. Stephens, May 2016. “Bird identification guides as interface: Transformation and continuity.” Rhetoric Society of America, Atlanta, GA.
- M. Shelton and S. Stephens, February 2016. “Connecting scientists to citizens regarding sea level rise.” Social Coast Forum, Charleston, SC.
Courses
Course Number | Course | Title | Mode | Date and Time | Syllabus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20236 | ENC4218 | Visual Technical Communication | Web-Based (W) | Unavailable | |
No Description Available | |||||
19482 | ENG6808 | Narrative Info Visualization | Face to Face (P) | M 06:00 PM - 08:50 PM | Unavailable |
No Description Available |
Course Number | Course | Title | Mode | Date and Time | Syllabus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
80502 | ENC4218 | Visual Technical Communication | Web-Based (W) | Unavailable | |
This course focuses on visual technical communication in the form
of charts, tables, and diagrams, as well as full-page informational graphics
that blend text and visuals to tell data-based stories. We will focus on visual
design principles and practice using tools to produce graphics. We will begin
with an introduction to graphic design and practice producing effective
graphics that complement the text elements of documents. We will then study
persuasive aspects of visual design and learn to develop information graphics
that inform or persuade audiences about technical or scientific topics. The
course concludes with a project in which you will plan, research, and create a
full-page informational graphic on a technical or scientific topic. |
|||||
92830 | ENC6261 | Tech Writing Theory & Practice | Web-Based (W) | Unavailable | |
This course focuses on major issues and trends in technical communication theory and the relevance of current theory to practitioners. You will read and discuss essays by leading technical communication theorists on the history of the discipline, rhetorical perspectives, philosophies and theories, and the impacts of digital tools and technologies. You will also conduct research in the literature and develop an annotated bibliography and a literature review. |
|||||
81555 | ENG6005 | Diss Research Design in T | Face to Face (P) | Tu 06:00 PM - 08:50 PM | Unavailable |
No Description Available |
No courses found for Summer 2022.
Course Number | Course | Title | Mode | Date and Time | Syllabus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19539 | ENC6257 | Visual Tech Comm | Web-Based (W) | Unavailable | |
This course combines practical and theoretical approaches to
technical and professional information visualization. Students will have
hands-on practice producing effective graphics from numeric and textual data, including
charts, maps, and diagrams, as well as full-page informational graphics that blend
text and visuals to tell complex data-based stories. We will also take a deep
dive into contemporary scholarship in ethical visual technical communication,
including feminist and antiracist data visualization practices, rhetoric and
public health graphics, and decolonial approaches to mapping. The course
concludes with a project in which you will plan, research, and create a
full-page informational graphic on a technical or scientific topic of your
choice. |
|||||
20739 | ENG6005 | Diss Research Design in T | Video | M 06:00 PM - 08:50 PM | Unavailable |
Preparation for the initial stages
of dissertation development, including planning, research question development,
and methodology determination. |
Course Number | Course | Title | Mode | Date and Time | Syllabus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
80537 | ENC4218 | Visual Technical Communication | Web-Based (W) | Unavailable | |
This course focuses on visual technical communication in the form of charts, tables, and diagrams, as well as full-page informational graphics that blend text and visuals to tell data-based stories. We will focus on visual design principles and practice using tools to produce graphics. We will begin with an introduction to graphic design and practice producing effective graphics that complement the text elements of documents. We will then study persuasive aspects of visual design and learn to develop information graphics that inform or persuade audiences about technical or scientific topics. The course concludes with a project in which you will plan, research, and create a full-page informational graphic on a technical or scientific topic. | |||||
81773 | ENG6005 | Diss Research Design in T | Face to Face (P) | Tu 06:00 PM - 08:50 PM | Unavailable |
No Description Available |
No courses found for Summer 2021.
Updated: Dec 6, 2021