The Doctoral Consortium (DC) sponsored by the Communication and Technology, Mobile Communication, and Computational Methods Divisions of the International Communication Association will bring together PhD candidates conducting research on various types of communication technologies including mobile communication to give them the opportunity to discuss their research in a constructive, collaborative, and international atmosphere. Participating PhD Candidates will receive feedback and advice from expert mentors on an in-progress research project (dissertation, thesis, etc.). The feedback will be based upon a proposal (described in more detail below) that each participant submits for review. In addition, the DC will provide the opportunity for participants to meet experts as well as fellow PhD candidates from different backgrounds working on related topics.
The 2027 CAT/Mobile DC will be a fully in-person event. During the DC (a pre-conference of the ICA meeting in Glasgow), students and faculty will be organized into small groups, determined by common themes in their research. In each group, students will present their work, and receive feedback from their fellow students and faculty participants, all of whom will have read the proposals in advance of the Doctoral Consortium. Each proposal will receive detailed feedback from at least one faculty mentor and comments from a second mentor.
In addition to the presentation and critique of proposals, there will be discussion of issues related to making the transition from graduate student to faculty career. Of course, this process differs widely across different nations and academic traditions. Bearing these differences in mind, we will discuss positioning one’s work for the job market, strategies for publication, the interviewing process, and other aspects of faculty job searches. Anticipating a time when participants will have an academic position, the discussion will include issues like managing workload and working relationships, finding a work/life balance, and ways of being a successful academic.
PhD students whose work connects with Communication and Technology, Mobile Communication, and/or Computational Methods theories, methods, and topics are encouraged to apply to the Doctoral Consortium. Applicants must have a dissertation proposal written and ready to propose or already approved by their committee or supervisor. Ideally, students will be in the early stages of their dissertation, where feedback would be helpful in refining and advancing their work.
To apply, students must submit a proposal describing their research:
1) A 1000 word (excluding references) abstract of their dissertation proposal. Proposals must identify a significant problem (or problems) in a relevant field of research, briefly outline current knowledge of the problem domain, and clearly formulate a research question, or specify hypotheses to be tested. Proposals should outline the research approach, methods, and any results obtained so far (if applicable).
2) Answer questions about:
a) Their dissertation research topic,
b) the theories they hope to use,
c) the methods they hope to use,
d) the stage of their dissertation,
e) what they hope to get out of the DC, and
f) what they will contribute to the DC community (i.e., the other participants).
Students are encouraged to review the submission review criteria before submitting their application.
Deadline: February 1, 2027
The DC organizing committee will evaluate submissions on the following criteria:
Demonstrated interest in being part of the Communication field and community by using Communication theories and concepts in the proposal.
Theoretical frameworks in the proposal fit within the umbrella of CAT and/or Mobile. Please see descriptions of each group below. For example, a study primarily theorizing about parent-child relationships with one variable being mobile phone use, is unlikely to be a good fit.
CAT: The Communication and Technology (CAT) Division is concerned with the role played by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in human communication processes. It is committed to enhancing theory and methodology pertaining to the adoption, use, applications, effects, and the psychological, social, and policy implications of ICTs. Areas of research include computer-mediated communication, new media, social media, augmented and virtual reality, technology studies, ‘big data,’ crowdsourcing, privacy, digital news, crisis, and other technologically-mediated social interactions and networking at all levels of analysis (e.g., intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational; local, national, international). CAT invites submissions that make an innovative and original contribution to our understanding of ICTs, with a focus on the technology itself within the context of human communication. Papers in which technology is not the focus or is only included as a method of data collection (e.g., data collected via an online survey) are not a good fit for CAT.
Mobile: The Mobile Communication Division focuses on mobility and the social consequences of mobile communication. Thus, the division is at the intersection of mobility, technology, social structure, and culture in human communication. Scholarship includes a wide array of perspectives and approaches in communication studies. This ranges from historical perspectives to studies on future media innovations, from ethnographic to quantitative empirical approaches, and from journalism studies to media effects research. The common ground of the division is state-of-the-art analysis and theorizing about mobile communication and its social consequences. The division welcomes papers on the contents, effects, and social consequences of mobile communication. This can include themes such as mHealth (e.g. health care, contact tracing), mLearning, mobile journalism, mobile entertainment, political mobilization, social norms and mobile communication, mobile communication and gender, wearables, location-based services, tracking devices and other emerging technologies, mobile social media, mobile communication in developing countries, the history of mobile media, as well as general theoretical and methodological advances in the study of mobile communication. This list is far from exhaustive and is provided only as an indication of the scope of inquiry welcomed by the Division.
The student is at the “right time” and “right stage” for the DC. Traditionally, this has meant that the student has advanced to candidacy and has at least a full draft of a prospectus/proposal that an advisor has approved (in some countries this is described as “defended”) but that they have not yet begun to collect data. Students that have already collected data are welcome to apply, as are students that have completed data collection. However, students at earlier stages will be prioritized in acceptance.
Student expresses clear goals for their participation in DC.
Student expresses clear contributions to the DC community.
Students will be notified of acceptance decisions by March 15, 2027. Accepted students will be asked to submit a 3000-5000 word (excluding references) dissertation proposal for review by peers and mentors no later than May 14, 2027.
We are seeking faculty mentors to support the 2027 CAT/Mobile Doctoral Consortium. Mentors are responsible for reading up to 4 dissertation proposals in May - June, 2026 (before the DC) and attending the DC to deliver in-person feedback to student participants. Feedback from both students and mentors tells us that both feel that the DC is a positive and helpful experience.
The 2027 DC will be fully in-person in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. We understand that for many, travel to Glasgow may be uncertain. Please volunteer if you think you are likely to attend.
Please consider volunteering to serve as a mentor. Faculty from all ranks and institutions are welcome and encouraged to volunteer. CAT/Mobile membership is not required, but faculty should be well aligned with the theories and research topics in one or both divisions. Note that we build a mentor pool of about 100 mentors, and about 15 will be selected based on fit with this year's proposals.
We will confirm your availability before we finalize mentor assignments in March 2027.
DC Date: Thursday, June 3, 2037
DC Location: University of Glasgow. The DC will be fully in-person.
Organizers: Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch (University of Connecticut), German Neubaum (University of Duisburg-Essen), Will Marler (Tilburg University), and Daniel Angus (Queensland University of Technology).
Q: When will I find out if my application has been accepted?
A: We will contact you via email by March 15, 2027.
Q: I did not submit an application, can I attend the DC anyway?
A: The DC is only open to students who apply and are invited to attend. We hope you will apply next year!
Q: Can I participate in the DC if I do not have an accepted paper at ICA?
A: Yes, the DC is a preconference of ICA and invited students can register without having a paper accepted at the main conference. However, preconference registration is only available as an add-on to the main conference registration so, in order to register for the DC, you must also register for the ICA conference.
Q: Is there financial assistance available to offset the cost of registering for the DC?
A: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer financial assistance for the DC or the main ICA conference. However, students can apply to volunteer at ICA in exchange for a conference registration waiver and a stipend. https://www.icahdq.org/page/volunteer_app
Q: Is there financial assistance for travel to the DC?
A: We do not have funding to support travel to ICA. However, accepted DC participants are welcome to apply for ICA wide travel funds as well as divisional travel funds (these funds are very limited and will be announced in January-February 2027). http://www.icahdq.org/page/TravelGrant
Q: How do I get a visa to travel to the DC?
A: Travel visas are handled by ICA directly, the DC is unable to issue letters or support the visa applicaiton process. When you register for the ICA conference, you will receive information about travel visas.
Q: Are there opportunities for online or remote participation?
A: No, barring unforeseen circumstances, the 2027 DC will be fully in person in Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Q: Can I attend only part of the DC or request a certain presentation time?
A: The DC relies on small group feedback given throughout the course of the day. Our mentors put in a lot of time reviewing and preparing feedback for each proposal. Out of respect for their time, and the time your peers put into reviewing your work, we ask that students dedicate the full day to the DC.
Q: Where is the DC and how do I get there?
A: The DC will be held at University of Glasgow's Business School, which is about 2km from the ICA conference hotel. It is reachable on foot, by bus, or via rideshare.
Q: Will there be food?
A: Yes! Your DC registration includes a light breakfast, lunch, and a PM snack break.