Dr. John A. McArthur, Assistant Professor in the School of Communication, had an article published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Communication Inquiry. The article, titled "Digital Subculture: A geek meaning of style" investigated groups in Internet-based chat rooms to assess indicators of group affiliation. The study suggests that groups of geeks in online discussion boards display similar characteristics to groups of people meeting in face-to-face interactions. The study has implications for our understanding of the Internet as a virtual gathering space.

Dr. McArthur's research interests involve user-experience design, proxemics (the communicativity of space), and the role of technology and media design in society. His research includes studies of user-experience design as it relates to the creation of documents, speeches, and physical and virtual spaces. Dr. McArthur teaches a variety of courses at Queens including Public Relations, Layout & Design, and Business and Professional Writing.

The Journal of Communication Inquiry is a national peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the connections between mass communication and society. More information about the journal can be found on its website: http://jci.sagepub.com/