Curriculum Vitae

Education

Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (CUTL), The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, November 2020

Ph.D., Mass Communications, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, December 2008

Dissertation Title: Telecommunications in the Caribbean: How change brought the West Indies into the Twenty-First Century

M.A., Telecommunications Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, December 2005

Thesis Title: A Comparative Inter-sector Analysis of the Long Distance and Local Area Aspects of the Telecommunications Industry: Were the goals of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as related to these aspects achieved?

B.S., Mathematics & Physics, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, May 2001

Professional Experience

ROLLINS COLLEGE, Winter Park, FL, August 2022- Present

Visiting Assistant Professor, Department Of Communication

  • Led Introductory Communication course

  • Instruct courses on Public Speaking and Intercultural Communication

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, St. Augustine, Trinidad, January 2019- August 2022

Lecturer & Postgraduate Coordinator, Communications Studies

  • Assigned teaching duties to academic staff

  • Provided thesis supervision for graduate students

  • Instructed courses on Research Methods and Project Design

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, St. Augustine, Trinidad, August 2017- August 2018

Lecturer & Postgraduate Coordinator, Communications Studies

  • Oversaw intake of incoming graduate students

  • Assigned postgraduate teaching duties for academic staff

  • Assigned supervisory duties for academic staff

  • Provided thesis supervision for graduate students

  • Instructed courses on Research Methods and Project Design

  • Promoted the Graduate Program to increase student intake

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, St. Augustine, Trinidad, January 2013- August 2017

Lecturer & Undergraduate Coordinator, Communications Studies

  • Oversaw Quality Assurance Review

  • Designed and delivered course material for graduate and undergraduate communications classes

  • Assigned teaching duties for academic staff and tutors

  • Planned and organized Final Year Student’s Communications Studies Research Expo

  • Provided thesis supervision for Graduate Students

  • Organizing committee member for The Human Communication Studies Conference 2013. UWI- St. Augustine

  • Student-Staff Liaison for Communications Studies Section     

  • Communications Studies Representative on Faculty Prize Award Committee

  • Co-author of a proposal for a UWI- St. Augustine Radio Station.           

                                         

VIRGINIA TECH DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, Blacksburg, VA, August 2010- December 2011

Statistical Collaborator /Graduate Teaching Assistant

  • Consulted with clients to assess and analyze their experimental needs

  • Designed experiments to answer client research questions effectively

  • Provided data analysis solutions for collected experimental data

 

THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC), OFFICE OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, Washington, D.C, May 2011- August 2011

Statistical Intern

  • Created 10-year forecast models for the Universal Service Fund (USF)

  • Performed sample size calculations for testing the rate of erroneous payments in USF programs

  • Computed the Quarterly Contribution Factor for funding the USF programs

  • Drafted press release announcing the USF Contribution Factor

  • Reviewed FCC by-laws and provided official responses to broadcast owners seeking waivers on licensing fees

 

PENN STATE PUBLIC BROADCASTING, University Park, PA, September 2007- May 2008

Graduate Research Assistant

  • Conducted preliminary research and grant-writing investigations for funding a documentary on environmental issues                   

  • Created a blog for faculty to discuss project ideas

 

BLOOMBERG LLC (THROUGH AJILON FINANCE), Skillman, NJ, October 2006- January 2007

Content Collection Associate

  • Programmed mining software used for collecting news and financial stories from external sources. Content collected used for launching Bloomberg News wire service

 

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, PA, January 2007- May 2007

Adjunct Instructor, College of Communications

  • Instructed COMM 387- Introduction to Telecommunications Management (Junior/Senior level Required Class for Communications majors)

  • Designed and presented lectures that covered:

  • Management Theory

  • Financial Management

  • Financial Accounting

  • Human Resource Management

  • Managerial Ethics

  • Public Relations

  • Marketing and Sales

 

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, PA, Fall 2001- Spring 2006

Graduate Teaching Assistant

  • Assisted Professor with Introductory Telecommunications Management undergraduate class

  • Presented guest lectures on Managerial Ethics and Theory

  • Graded class examinations

FERMI NATIONAL ACCELERATOR LABORATORY, Batavia, IL, Summer 2000 & 2001

Research Intern

  • Upgraded electronics used for the particle detection process

  • Programmed and calibrated computer chips on circuit boards

  • Refurbished older particle detectors to increase efficiency

Conference Presentations 

Nov. 2013                              Pierre, K. “Driving telecommunications in the Caribbean: Is effective competition attainable?” CMI’s 6th annual International Conference: Developing the future ICT infrastructure technologies, markets, and policies. Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

June 23-26, 2009               Pierre, K & Taylor, R.D. Closing the Gap: The Digital Divide in the Caribbean Region. Presented at the International Telecommunications Society (ITS) 1st Caribbean Regional ITS Conference.

 

May 2007                               Balakrishnan, B & Pierre, K. A Human-Centered Approach Towards Instructional Technology: Impact of Social Presence, Teacher Presence and Engagement on Learner Satisfaction in Online Courses. Presented at the International Communications Association (ICA) Conference in San Francisco. Winner of the Top Student paper award in the Instructional Design Division.

 

Summer 2005                      Balakrishnan, B & Pierre, K. Social Presence, Interactivity and Engagement: A Human-Centered Approach Towards Instructional Technology. Presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) Conference in San Antonio.

 

Summer 2004                      Balakrishnan, B., Pierre, K., Tsay, M., & Vincent-Killian, J. Need for Acceptance and the Use of Computer-Mediated Communication. Presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) Mid-Winter Conference in New Brunswick, New Jersey and Toronto, Canada. 

Service 

Aug. 2013 – Aug. 2019              Student- Staff Liaison for Communication Studies Section     

   

Aug. 2013 - Aug 2015               LCCS Representative, Faculty Prize Award Committee 

                                                   

Jan. 2019- Aug. 2022                Postgraduate Coordinator, Human Communication Studies 

 

Jan. 2019- Aug. 2022                Graduate Supervisor to five (5) MA students, one (1) MPhil student and one (1) Ph.D. student

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