David Tschida, Ph.D.

As a child, four significant influences shaped the work I do. First, I watched a lot of TV. The character of the Professor on Gilligan's Island inspired my own interest in earning a Ph.D. and being a professor, though I did not know I would end up with a career in communication. As a first-generation college student, I was never encouraged by my family to go to college. Second, I grew up in north central Minnesota. It was there that I was given experiences in nature that inspired my specific research focus in environmental communication (i.e., the study of how we communicate about and for the environment in social movements, law, media, tourism, religion, etc.). Third, I started watching the news and following politics, especially elections, at about age 6. I had a fascination with current events (Not the normal thing a six-year-old follows.). Fourth, I found a home in my school's competitive speech (forensics) and theatre activities and the interest in competitive speaking continued into college. These parts of my life were the seeds of an interest in communication as a major and profession, especially in the critical analysis of communication messages and practices (i.e., rhetoric, media studies) that eventually became a focus of three university educational experiences. 

When I am not at UWEC, my wife and I enjoy national and international travel as well as camping, kayaking, and hiking and exploring our national and state parks and forest lands. Our yard is landscaped for pollinators and birds (the kids in my neighborhood refer to our yard as the butterfly and bee yard). We enjoy cooking together and canning everything from pickles and jams to tomato products like salsa and spaghetti sauce. We have a Jack Russell Terrier named Winnie that is completely spoiled.