Michelle Mazur (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 2001) is interested studying how interpersonal communication between parents and adolescents can be used to influence adolescents' interpretation of the media. Her other areas of interest include topic avoidance in parent-adolescent relationships, computer-mediated communication, and the effects of gossip on persuasion. Currently, Dr. Mazur and the graduate students in the Department of Speech are examining the impact of topic avoidance on parental mediation of television. Additionally, she is looking at the impact of communication apprehension and shyness on the development of online relationship. She is also conducting studies with several undergraduate students on gender stereotyping and advertising and viewer motivations for watching realtity television.