Honoring Edward Fink: A Tribute to a Remarkable Scholar and Role Model

This Festschrift honors the life of Dr. Edward L. Fink, Professor Emeritus and former Laura H. Carnell Professor of Media and Communication at Temple University, and Professor Emeritus from the University of Maryland. Dr. Fink spent more than fifty years as a scholar of communication, persuasion, and quantitative research methods. Dr. Fink is a Fellow of the International Communication Association, Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Honor Society, and the International Academy for Intercultural Research. His impact goes well beyond the field of communication. He was educated as a sociologist, and he has impacted the lives and careers of highly experienced as well as novice scholars and researchers for decades. This Festschrift comprises a collection of more than 50 essays that attest to Dr. Fink’s tremendous impact as a scholar, academic leader, and mentor. This volume is divided into three sections. The first section provides a narrative of Ed Fink’s life story based on extensive interviews about his personal and academic life. The second section addresses Dr. Fink’s academic contributions to communication science and his research. It includes contributions from scholars who have worked with Ed who have written about their collaborative projects by sharing anecdotes and insights about their work together. The third section features personal stories about Ed from students, fellow researchers, colleagues, and friends. This unique volume is a combination of biography, memory, and inspiration. The stories recounted capture the person of Dr. Edward L. Fink as a brilliant scholar as well as a selfless mentor, committed to helping scholars, young and old, achieve their best work. This volume makes accessible the experience of a quantitative scholar without leaving non-researchers behind.