He is past president of the Southern States Communication Association and received the John I. Sisco Excellence in Teaching Award from the Southern States Communication Association in 1999. Teaches courses in organizational communication, conflict resolution, and humor in communication. Current research involves study of children's relationship management strategies in a day care center context, as well as study of narratives and values in organizations. He also has research under way in the area of humor use in organizational messages. Teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in argument and debate, persuasion, small group communication, freedom of speech, methods of teaching speech communication, gender issues in speech communication, introduction to graduate research, communication theory, and content analysis.
Current research focuses on message effects, persuasion, and metaphor.
She is also working on a book titled The Idea of Metaphor , an ideological history of the trope. Professor Siltanen served as Director of the Women's Studies Program, President of the Faculty Senate, Executive Director of the Southern States Communication Association, and Southern States Communication Association President. She's received USM's Excellence in Teaching Award, Excellence in University Service Award, and SSCA's Outstanding Gender Studies Scholar Award, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi. Teaches courses on interpersonal communication and related topics. Recent classes have included deceptive communication, intercultural communication, nonverbal communication, and health communication.