Dr. Barbara O Keefe

Biography

Barbara J. O'Keefe is a Professor Emerita in Communication Studies at Northwestern University. She previously served as the Dean of the School of Communication from 2000 to 2020. She earned her A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Before joining Northwestern, she held faculty positions at Wayne State University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Michigan. Her work integrates various disciplines, focusing on communication theory and its applications, particularly in health communication and interaction analysis. O’Keefe has edited books and authored over 60 technical publications, including chapters, journal articles, and conference proceedings. Her research interests include the application of interactive computing to support cooperative work and learning, and she has been involved in the development of systems for content analysis in communication studies. O’Keefe also co-lead a project funded by the National Science Foundation aimed at improving human-centered design in technology for sustainable management of public works. She has served as a reviewer for several leading journals in communication and social psychology.

Research Interests