Emily is an Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies in the Liberal Arts Department. She received her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida in Communication Studies. Dr. Ryalls is a recipient of the 2022-2023 Distinguished Teaching Award. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of critical/cultural studies and feminist media studies. Dr. Ryalls research has explored issues of age, race, class, gender, and sexuality in media sites such as  Scream Queens, Gossip Girl, 13 Reasons Why, and The Hunger Games. Her book,  The Culture of Mean: Representing Victims and Bullies in Popular Culture, is the first sustained feminist critique of the contemporary bullying narrative in media. In her free time, she can be found found watching Bravo TV and hanging with her dog, Henry.