RESEARCH

My research centers on how individuals and communities communicate when enduring and overcoming hardships, especially in disaster and workplace contexts. I am especially interested in how people organize around issues of concern to share information, manage their uncertainty, and engage in resilience.

I have secured $85,000 in awards and grants to support my work. My research is published in cross-disciplinary outlets such as Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Disasters, Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, and Natural Hazards Review.

Software: SPSS - STATA - HLM - R - NodeXL - E-Net - UCINET - LIWC - AutoMap - NVivo

MENTORSHIP

My proficiency in various research methods, paired with my servant leadership, enables me to be a strong mentor for students and developing scholars. I have supported 10 student assistants for 18 semesters of research, teaching, and video experience.

DISSERTATION

The purpose of my dissertation was to examine how Facebook Groups offered spaces for community organizing for disaster relief and facilitated Camp Fire survivors’ resilience and recovery. I was funded on a year-long Purdue Research Foundation grant for this project.

METHODS

Surveys ┋ Interviews ┋ Focus Groups

Networks: Personal, Whole, Semantic

Analyses: Structural Equation Modeling, Inferential Statistics, Thematic Analysis, Content Analysis, Sentiment Analysis, Multilevel Modeling, Topic Modeling

PUBLICATIONS

Updated: 9/18/2024

18. Benedict, B. C. (2024). The tensions of crowdsourcing resilience organizing in disaster-specific Facebook groups after the Camp Fire. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy, 15(2), 261-283. https://doi.org/10.1002/rhc3.12299

17. Benedict, B. C., Lee, S., Jarvis, C. M., Siebeneck, L. K., & Wolfe, R. (2023). Utilizing qualitative data for social network analysis in disaster research: Opportunities, challenges, and an illustration. Disasters, 48(2), e12605. https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12605

16. Adjei, E., Benedict, B. C., Murray-Tuite, P., Lee, S., Ukkusuri, S., & Ge, Y. (2022). Effects of risk perception and perceived certainty on evacuate/stay decisions. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 80, 103247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103247

15. Verma, R., Shen, J., Benedict, B. C., Murray-Tuite, P., Lee, S., Ge, Y., & Ukkusuri, S. (2022). Progression of hurricane evacuation-related dynamic decision-making with information processing. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 108, 103323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2022.103323

14. Benedict, B. C. (2022). Entanglements of identity and resilience in the Camp Fire’s network of disaster-specific Facebook groups. Media and Communication, 10(2), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v10i2.5038

13. Lee, S., Benedict, B. C., & Guest, T. (2022). Discussion networks and resilience of college students: Explicating tie strength in communicative interaction. International Journal of Communication, 16(2022), 2526-2550. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/18675/3774

12. Lee, S., Siebeneck, L. K., Benedict, B. C., Yabe, T., Jarvis, C. M., & Ukkusuri, S. V. (2022). Patterns of social support and trajectories of household recovery after Superstorm Sandy. Natural Hazards Review, 23(2), 04022002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)NH.1527-6996.0000548

11. Hildenbrand, G. M., & Benedict, B. C. (2021). Examining variation in depression among individuals with a cancer diagnosis. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 44(2), 151-158. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945921994118

10. Lee, S., Benedict, B. C., Ge, Y., Murray-Tuite, P., & Ukkusuri, S. V. (2021). An application of media and network multiplexity theory to the structure and perceptions of information environments in hurricane evacuation. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 72(7), 885-900. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24456

9. Benedict, B. C. (2020). Using vision boards to reflect on relevant experiences and envision ideal futures. College Teaching, 64(4), 231-232. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2020.1850411

8. Benedict, B. C., Shields, A. N., Wieland, M., & Hall, J. (2020). Recommendations for communication centers based on student and tutor reflections: Insights about students’ reasons for visiting, session outcomes, and characteristics of the tutoring approach. Communication Center Journal, 6(1), 79-93. http://libjournal.uncg.edu/ccj/article/view/2086/pdf

7. Lee, S., & Benedict, B. C. (2021). Building resilience: An exercise to create network structures and assess resilience with marshmallows and spaghetti noodles or LEGO® pieces. Discourse, 6(1) 38-47. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/discoursejournal/vol6/iss1/4/

6. Hall, J., Benedict, B. C., Taylor, E. P., & McCullock, S. P. (2020). Managing uncertainty in a pandemic: Transitioning multi-section courses to online delivery. Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence and ADVANCE Working Paper Series, 3(2), 73-83. https://www.purdue.edu/butler/documents/WPS-Special-Issue-Higher-Education-and-COVID-19---2020-Volume-3-Issue-2.pdf

5. Benedict, B. C. (2020). Examining the experiences of remaining employees after a coworker dismissal: Initial message characteristics, information seeking, uncertainty, and perceived social costs. Management Communication Quarterly, 34(4), 495-526. https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318920949327

4. Lee, S., Benedict, B. C., Jarvis, C. M., Siebeneck, L., & Kuenanz, B-J. (2020). Support and barriers in long-term recovery after Hurricane Sandy: Improvisation as a communicative process of resilience. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 48(4), 438-458. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2020.1797142

3. Siebeneck, L. K., Schumann, R. III., Kuenanz, B-J., Lee, S., Benedict, B. C., Jarvis, C. M., & Ukkusuri, S. V. (2020). Returning home after Superstorm Sandy: Phases in the return-entry process. Natural Hazards, 101(1), 195-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03869-1

2. Lee, S., Wittrock, Z., & Benedict, B. C. (2019). Who dunnit: The party mystery game for analyzing network structure and information flow. Connections, 39(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.21307/connections-2019-005

1. Allen, M., Bourhis, J., Burrell, N., Benedict, B., Adebayo, T. C., Cherney, M., Langston, D., Peck, B., Quinn, S., & Richards, R. (2017). Evaluation communication of master’s program on the basis of Google citations. Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 36(2), 51-69.