Dr. Arthur A. Raney, associate professor of communication, was invited to be one of five keynote speakers at an international conference on entertainment theory and effects in Benasque, Spain, Nov. 15-21.

It was the first in a series of communication congresses being organized under the auspices of the Centro de Ciencias de Benasque Pedro Pascual, with a goal of gathering top scholars and promising junior scholars for open and wide-ranging discussion. Raney lectured on “Entertainment and Morality” and a junior scholar from the Free University of Amsterdam served as respondent, offering an alternate explanation or theory. The exchange led to a daylong discussion of the topic, followed by proposals for continuing research. A different topic was featured each day.

Raney’s presentation will be published in the European-based “Journal of Media Psychology.”

School of Communication graduate student and former FSU tennis player Ania Rynarzewska has been awarded an inaugural Jim McKay Scholarship, to be awarded annually to one male and one female NCAA student-athlete who have excelled academically and plan pursue graduate studies in communication. Each McKay Scholar receives $10,000. More information…

WVFS, The Florida State University’s campus radio station better known as V89, won two bronze medals and a finalist certificate at the presitigious New York Festivals Radio Programming & Promotions Awards.

The station won a bronze world medal in the magazine format category for “V89’s Vox Populi” and bronze world medal in the best music program category for “Sonic Safari.” The station earned a finalist certificate in the best comedy/humor personality-local market category for “Hearty White.”

“We’re very proud of our work and delighted to have won two bronze medals and a finalist certificate, especially considering some of the tough competition we were up against,” said Dr. Michelle “Misha” Laurents, V89 station manager and an associate in communication in the School of Communication.

It was the first year V89 entered the international competition, which features entries and judges from around the globe. The 2009 Grand Jury listened to hundreds of entertaining, provoking and informative work produced by individuals from around the world.

For more on the competition, go to www.newyorkfestivals.com.

The FSU College of Communication & Information’s School of Library and Information Studies will be participating with a booth in the virtual world of the Second Life College Fair on October 24 and 25. We have a slideshow, web links, and inworld books with pictures of FSU. There’s information for those interested in our IT undergrad major, our MLIS graduate major, and about FSU.

To visit the booth online:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/International%20Schools%202/114/49/23

To learn more about the Second Life College Fair visit:

http://groups.google.com/group/second-life-college-fair/web/college-fair-2009?pli=1

Join members of our three schools in celebrating the first research week of the newly-merged College of Communication & Information, highlighted by faculty and doctoral research presentations and culminating in a celebratory reception. Wednesday through Friday events will be Webcast; find a link to the Webcasts at the College Web site (http://cci.fsu.edu).

Monday – Faculty publications on display in Goldstein
Time – ALL WEEK
Location – Goldstein

Tuesday – Doctoral Poster Session
Time: 12:00 – 1:00
Location – Goldstein

Wednesday – Colloquia
Speaker: Dr. Michelle Kazmer
Topic: Crossing Boundaries in the iField: Life-cycle Formation & Long-term Scientific Collaboration
Time: 1:00 – 2:00
Location – LSB 206

Thursday – Brown Bag Lunch
Speaker: Dr. Charles McClure
Title: Pulling together and submitting Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) proposals: Worse than herding cats!
Time: 12:00 – 1:00
Location – LSB 206

Friday – Research Colloquia & Reception
Speaker: Leonard LaPointe
Title: Competition, Interference and Distraction in Neurological Diseases: Contributions to Injurious Falls
Time: 12:00-2:00
Location – LSB 006