Prestigious Pathfinder Award Comes to UCF

Dr. W. Timothy Coombs, winner of the 2013 IPR Pathfinder Award, is a professor in the Nicholson School of Communication.   The IPR, Institute for Public Relations, is a practitioner-oriented organization dedicated to public relations research.  The Pathfinder Award recognizes an original program of scholarly research that has made a significant contribution to the practice of public relations and the body of knowledge.

It is the highest award IPR can bestow on an academic.

“What is so exciting about winning the Pathfinder Award is that the practice is recognizing the value of my research.  As a researcher, you fear that no one will read or use your research.  Public relations is an applied area of study, thus, you hope it will influence the practice.  The Pathfinder Award validates my research and its contribution to the field beyond just academic circles.”,  says Coombs

His crisis books include the award winning Ongoing Crisis Communication, Code Red in the Boardroom, and the co-edited The Handbook of Crisis Communication with Sherry Holladay. His other works include two award winning books with Sherry Holladay, Public Relations Strategy and Application: Managing Influence and It’s Not Just PR along with Managing Corporate Social Responsibility:  A Communication Approach (also co-authored with Sherry Holladay).

Dr. Coombs has worked with consulting firms in the U.S. and Europe on ways to improve crisis communication efforts for their clients. He has given presentations to various corporations, government agencies, and profession groups about crisis management in Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

His articles have appeared in a variety of journals including in the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Journal of Public Affairs, Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Business Communication, Journal of Communication Management International Journal of Strategic Communication., Journal of Promotion Management, Corporate Communication, and Corporate Reputation Review.

Click here for more information on the Pathfinder Award.

Click here for a sample of  Dr. Coomb’s presentation:
How Theory Informs Practice:  Situational Crisis Communication Theory http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/Coombs-Pathfinder2013.pdf