I am a Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Teaching Associate in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. I am a multi-method social scientist who studies Human-Machine Communication, Human-AI Communication, and the social impact of communication technologies.

I use qualitative, quantitative, and rhetorical methods including interviews, textual analysis, thematic analysis, surveys, and experiments. My work integrates methods, concepts, and theories from a variety of disciplines and areas including communication studies, critical/cultural studies, human-computer and human-robot interaction, as well as sexuality studies.

Currently, I am working on my PhD with a focus on how humans build relationships with machines such as social robots and AI technologies. In particular, my dissertation uses qualitative methods to explore human-machine relationality (how humans form relationships with machines like robots).

My research has been published in a variety of academic journals such as Human Communication Research, Human-Machine Communication, Review of Communication, and in book chapters published by Routledge and SAGE (forthcoming). Our article Dehnert & Mongeau (2022) received the 2022 Outstanding Article Award from the Human Communication and Technology Division of the National Communication Association.

Check out my public scholarship in The Conversation on Sex, love and companionship … with AI? Why human-machine relationships could go mainstream and in the Independent on In defense of humans dating robots. In June 2022, I was featured on the National Communication Association’s Podcast Series “Communication Matters” on the topic of alternative academic careers for communication graduate students. In October 2022, I was featured on the German science communication portal Wissenschaftskommunikation.de in an interview on the topic of transformation.

Don’t hesitate to contact me. I am also happy to share PDFs of my publications with you in case you or your institution does not have access.