Dr. Tamara Welter

Degrees

• B.A. in Communication, Evangel University
• M.A. in Magazine Journalism and Communication, Regent University
• Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies, Biola University

Research Interests

• How people read meaning in images
• How culture influences reading of meaning in images
• Visual representation in media
• Empathy and journalism/media

Select Publications

Welter, T., Brunt, J. (2025). “Effects of Individualism and Race on Visual Processing: An Eye-tracking Experiment.” International Communication Research Journal (vol. 60).

Welter, T. (2025). “Light and Dark Make Perfect.” Journal of the American Studies Association of Texas (Fall 2025).

Welter, T. (January 3, 2025). “The Garden Dances Around the Childlike Heart” in The Advent Project 2024. Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts.

Longinow, M., Welter, T. (2017). “Using Narrative Media Instruction and Experiential Learning to build Cultural Competency in Future Journalists.” College Media Review (vol. 55).

Welter, T. (2022). Christian Magazines and Audience Connection: An Exploration of African Publications and Their Relationship to Technology and Media. In Keeping the Faith: Transformation and Continuation in Christian Magazines. Brill Publishing.

Welter, T., Longinow, M. (2020). News from the Middle East. In Richard Craig (Ed.) Navigating the News. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

Longinow, M., Welter, T. (2020). Community News. In Richard Craig (Ed.) Navigating the News. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

Welter, T., Tarpley, D. (2013). Political Correctness. In Media Issues: Point/Counterpoint ed. by D. Sloan and J. Greer. Vision Press.

Welter, T. (2021). Digital Design Essentials. Austin, TX:  Sentia Publishing.

Select Paper/Poster Presentations

Brunt, J., Welter, T., & Burns, J. (May, 2018). Asians and Caucasians looking at pictures of Asians and Caucasians. Poster presented at the Association of Psychological Sciences.

Warner, A., Welter, T., Brunt, J. (Aug. 2018). “Analysis of Photographic Representation of Refugees in France.” Paper/Poster, AEJMC.

Longinow, M., Welter, T., Setijadi, N. (August 2017) “Visual media, radicalization and Islamic youth: Socially constructed meaning in Indonesia.” RMIG Paper presentation, AEJMC, Chicago, IL.

Burns, J., Brunt, J., Welter, T. (May 2016). "Effects of Individualism and Race on Visual Processing." Poster, Western Psychological Association.

Longinow, M., Welter, T. (June 2016). “The Role of Expectation in Visual Truth-telling and Identity Formation: Theories Underlying a Mandate to Disciple Students from Faith to Fact-Finding.” Paper Presentation. International Christian Higher Education Conference at UPH, Karawaci, Indonesia. 

"Using a Tool to Teach a Tool" (August, 2016). GIFT Poster Session, AEJMC.

Select Panel Presentations

“The Art of Teaching the Large Group Project Course” (April, 2022). Panel Presentation, Broadcast Educators Association (BEA).

“Ask Me That Another Way: Empathy on the Frontlines of News about COVID, Police Brutality, and Weather Disasters” (August, 2021). Panel Presentation, AEJMC Conference.

“Teaching Resilience Through Crisis” (August, 2021). Panel Presentation, AEJMC Conference.

“Online Teaching” (August, 2020). Panel Presentation, AEJMC Pre-conference, Journalism Teaching Toolkit.

“E-Portfolios and Career Readiness” (Fall 2019). Presentation to the E-Portfolio Collaborative Fellows. Biola Univ.

Welter, T., Bourgeois, D., Setjadi, N. (Fall 2013). “Social Media and the Mobile Device in Media Education.” Panel Presentation. International Christian Higher Education Conference at UPH, Karawaci, Indonesia.

Welter, T., Longinow, M., Riadi, S., (Fall 2013).  “Mainstream Journalism as Calling: A Vision for Impact on Culture.” Panel Presentation. International Christian Higher Education Conference at UPH, Karawaci, Indonesia.

Background

Dr. Tamara Welter studied journalism and English as an undergraduate in the midwest at a small, Christian liberal arts university where she introduced to the campus newspaper what was known as desktop publishing, her first forays into digital design production. During the completion of her master’s degree in magazine journalism, Welter freelanced as a photographer and designer in Virginia with local niche magazines, non-profit organizations and wedding and family clients. 

Her publication design work led her into the world of marketing, where she served as Director of Marketing for a computer and networking specialty company working closely with military, government and large corporate customers. She and her husband spent several years in Iceland working with the military chapel in Keflavik. After entering academia as a professor, Welter served as faculty advisor to an award-winning magazine publication and co-advised a long-form narrative book project that took students locally and internationally to cover topics of cultural concern. 

Welter’s Ph.D. dissertation focused on how culture influences the reading of meaning in images. Her research has taken her to Mexico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic and Indonesia where she has explored this research agenda through eye-tracker experimentation, content analysis, interviews and other research approaches. Welter serves on the board for an international organization that trains Christian publishers around the world and another that works to equip young leaders in the DRC (Congo). She believes visual media is one of the most powerful vehicles for communicating messages of truth and impacting societies around the world.

Year Started at Baylor

• 2024

Courses

• History of Photography
• Media Design