Ricky W. Telg, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Florida, has taught communication courses on digital media development and news writing for more than 15 years. Before joining UF's Department of Agricultural Education and Communication in 1995, he worked as a television reporter, radio personality, and newspaper reporter and editor. At UF, Dr. Telg advises the collegiate organization Agricultural Communicators and Leaders of Tomorrow and serves on several college and university committees that focus on enhancing undergraduate education and communication skills. He has served in leadership roles in several national organizations, including the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow—where he was national ACT adviser for five years—and the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE). Dr. Telg has received UF's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences' Undergraduate Advisor of the Year and Undergraduate Teacher of the Year awards. In 2010 he was selected as one of two national U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Agricultural Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award recipients, and in 2008 he was named the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture's (NACTA) Southern Region Outstanding Teacher. Dr. Telg has presented numerous papers at regional, national, and international meetings and has published many articles on distance education- and agricultural communications-related topics. He has a bachelor's degree and doctorate from Texas A&M University and a master's degree from the University of North Texas.
Tracy A. Irani, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of Florida, teaching courses in communication campaigns, public relations, Web design, and critical and creative thinking. Previously she worked in marketing, public relations, and advertising. Dr. Irani holds a teaching and research appointment in the area of agricultural communications. She is currently development director for the Florida Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources in UF's Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. Her research interests focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making with respect to controversial science, communications, and technology issues. She is a certified administrator of the Kirton Adoption Innovation (KAI) inventory. She is a past chair of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) Research and Academic Programs Special Interest Groups and is a past president of UF's chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the international agricultural honorary society. In addition, Dr. Irani is past head of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication's Science Communication Interest Group. She has authored numerous research articles and made presentations at local, national, and international meetings on marketing communications, new and social networking media, branding, problem solving and decision making, and distance education. Dr. Irani received a bachelor's of arts degree in journalism and communications from Point Park College, a master's degree in corporate communications from Duquesne University, and a doctorate in mass communications from the University of Florida.
