Frances Brandau, Ph.D.

Frances Brandau, Ph.D.
Professor

Dr. Frances Brandau is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Sam Houston State University. She received her M.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Louisiana State University. She has an eclectic set of scholarly interests including interpersonal communication, relational communication, visual persuasion, and message effects and interpretation. Her work has published in journals such as Communication Quarterly, International Journal of Communication, Journal of Family Communication, Intercultural Communication Studies, and more.

In addition to her scholarship, she has been active in teaching and service. Dr. Brandau has been active in the Southern States Communication Association for more than 25 years, ultimately serving as president in 2011. She has continued to serve SSCA on other committees at the division and executive council level. She is recognized as an Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) fellow after completing both a micro-credential in Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Online Learning Environment and the full training in Effective Teaching Practices in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Recognizing the importance of the training and mentoring she has received in these, and other programs, she is proud to serve as a member of the SHSU Pathfinders mentorship program for young scholars. Recently, she was selected to participate in the Texas Academic Leadership Academy program where she will continue to grow her leadership skills.