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Elizabeth Melton

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Communication Studies

Email: Elizabeth.melton@unt.edu

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, University of North Texas. University of North Texas. (2025 - Present).
  • Communication Studies Adjunct, Appalachian State University. Appalachian State University. (2023 - 2025).

    • Professional

  • Director of Public Engagement, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life (IDCL). Institute for Diversity and Civic Life (IDCL). (2022 - 2025).

Licensures and Certifications

  • Graduate Certificate in Participatory Research,, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (2016 - 2100).

Professional Memberships

  • National Communication Association. (2025 - Present).

Development Activities

  • Other, CLASS Write, UNT CLASS Faculty Initiatives. United States of America. (2025).
  • Other, Heart-Head-Hands Writing Retreat, Beth Godbee. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Other, Heart-Head-Hands Writing Retreat, Beth Godbee. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Other, New CLASS Faculty Orientation, CLASS at UNT. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Other, New University Faculty Orientation, UNT. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Workshop, Organizing Your Week for Success, UNT CLASS Faculty Initiatives. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Workshop, Potentially Unanticipated Nuances as the Semester Ends, UNT CLASS Faculty Initiatives. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Workshop, Setting Purpose, UNT CLASS Faculty Initiatives. United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Workshop, “Workshopping Energy in the Performance of Literature and Oral History Research.”, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • COMM 2060 - Performance of Literature, 1 course.
  • COMM 4060 - Performance Theory, 1 course.
  • COMM 4260 - Performance and Culture, 1 course.
  • COMM 5860 - Seminar in Performance Studies, 1 course.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • Appalachian State University, Spring 2025.
  • Appalachian State University, Spring 2025.
  • Appalachian State University, Spring 2025.
  • Appalachian State University, Fall 2024.
  • Appalachian State University, Spring 2024.
  • Appalachian State University, Spring 2024.

Non-Credit Instruction

  • Certification, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life & ReligionAndPublicLife.org, (2024 - 2025).
  • Certification, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life & ReligionAndPublicLife.org, (2022 - 2025).

Awards and Honors

  • Top Paper Panel, National Communication Association Performance Studies Division. (November 22, 2025).
  • Leading Edge Fellow, American Council of Learned Societies. (September 1, 2021).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Book Chapter

  • Melton, E. (2017). “Everything is Bigger in Texas: Camp and the Queerly Normal in Greater Tuna.”.

    • Book Review

  • Melton, E. (2014). “Aloha America: Hula Circuits Through the U.S. Empire.”.
  • Melton, E. (2013). “Performing heritage: Research, Practice and Innovation in Museum Theatre and Live Interpretation.”.

    • Journal Article

  • Melton, E. (2022). “Spectacular Sweethearts: Rethinking Theatricality through Femininity and Racial Diversity on the Bandstand.”.
  • Melton, E. (2019). “Hometown Ethnography: Race, Place, and Reflexivity.”.

    • Video and Audiovisual Material

  • Melton, E., Puett, T. (2024). HUM 400: Community-Based Scholarship.
  • Melton, E., Wu, Y. (2024). Meeting the Moment: Scholarship in Unprecedented Times.
  • Melton, E. (2024). Scholar Stories: Oral History Archive.
  • Melton, E., Anedda , E., Puett, T. (2022). HUM 300: Oral History for Social Change.

Presentations Given

    Panel Presentation

  • Melton, E. (Author & Presenter), Oral History Association Conference, Oral History for Social Change Certificate on ReligionAndPublicLife.org, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

    • Paper

  • Melton, E. (Author & Presenter), National Communication Association, Moving Forward with a WARP(ed )Praxis, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).

    • Poster

  • Melton, E. (Presenter), Oral History Association Conference, “Religions Texas”, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

    • Reading of Creative Work/Performance

  • Melton, E. (Panelist), Kelly, S. (Panelist), Virtual Presentation hosted by the Communication Studies Department at UNC Greensboro and the NCA Center for Communication, Community Collaboration, and Change., “Unpacking the Race Talk”, United States of America. (2021 - 2021).

    • Scholarly Meeting Contribution

  • Melton, E. (Discussant), American Academy of Religion Symposium, American Council of Learned Societies and American Academy of Religion Symposium., United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

    • Symposium

  • Melton, E. (Moderator), Telling the Story of Religion in Texas Through Journalism Symposium, “Telling the Unheard Stories of Texas.”, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).

    • Webinar

  • Melton, E. (Coordinator/Organizer), Grounded Knowledge Project Webinar Series, “Relational Knowledges: Centering Community Voices.”, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Melton, E. (Coordinator/Organizer), Grounded Knowledge Project Webinar Series, “Vocation and Location: Pursuing Grounded Knowledge Within and Beyond the Academy.”, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Melton, E. (Coordinator/Organizer), Grounded Knowledge Project Webinar Series, “Locating Community-Based Research and Public Knowledge.”, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Melton, E. (Coordinator/Organizer), Grounded Knowledge Project Webinar Series, “What is Grounded Knowledge?”, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Melton, E. (Moderator), Elder, S. (Panelist), McKenzie, Z. (Panelist), , P. (Panelist), The State of US Webinar Series, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life., Lone Star Queens: A Community Conversation about Drag in Texas, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

Artistic and Professional Performances and Exhibits

  • Other. Melton, E., "Unpacking Longview", United States of America. (2019 - 2019).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Melton, E., Puett, T., "Grounded Knowledge Project (GKP)," sponsored by Henry Luce Foundation to Institute for Diversity and Civic Life, National, $290000 Funded. (2023 - 2024).

Service

University Service

  • Committee Member, Communication and Civic Engagement Initiative Committee. (2025 - Present).
  • Faculty Advisor, Communication Graduate Students. (2025 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Executive Committee. (2025 - Present).
  • Conference-Related, Petit Jean Performance Festival. (October 16, 2025 - October 19, 2025).

Professional Service

  • Mentor, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life. Austin, TX. (2025 - Present).
  • Board of Directors, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life Board of Directors. Austin, TX. (2025 - Present).
  • Guest Speaker, ACLS Leading Edge Fellows Alumni. Virtual, n/a. (2025).
  • Reviewer, Grant Proposal, ACLS Reviewers. Virtual, n/a. (2025 - 2025).
  • Member, Oral History Learning Community. Boone, NC. (2025).
  • Program Coordinator, Institute for Diversity and Civic Life. Austin, TX. (2023 - 2024).
  • Program Organizer, Luce Foundation Covid-19 Emergency Grantees Convening Committee. Kalamazoo, MI. (2022 - 2024).
  • Program Organizer, Community-Engaged Networking Event Committee. Baltimore, MD. (2023 - 2023).

Consulting

  • Other (Non-Profit Coaching), Ann Crews Melton,, United States of America. (June 1, 2025 - October 4, 2025).