Cindy Royal
email: croyal@txstate.edu; twitter @cindyroyal (email is the best ways to get in touch)
office phone: 512-245-3481
office: OM 106D (in the back of the MILab)
office hours: MW 3-5pm; or by appointment
Cindy Royal is a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication where she teaches Web design and online/digital/social media courses. She is also the founding director of the Media Innovation Lab and leads the team of faculty who support the Digital Media Innovation degree.
She completed Ph.D. studies at The University of Texas in 2005. Her research interests include understanding the role of programming and data in journalism, using social media in experiential learning projects and the integration of technology in education. Her students have gone on to digital media careers for prominent organizations, including New York Times, NPR, Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, Texas Tribune, KUT Austin, Blackbaud, Spredfast, Homeaway (now Vrbo), SXSW, McGarrah Jessee, IBM, Mighty Citizen and T3. Royal, an avid live music fan, hosts a music blog at onthatnote.com and has written for Texas Music Magazine. She co-founded the Austin chapter of Hacks/Hackers. In 2013, she was named AEJMC/Scripps Howard Journalism Teacher of the Year and was the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching at Texas State. She was in residence as a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University during the 2013-2014 academic year. In 2018 and 2019, she received the Everette Swinney Faculty Senate Excellence in Teaching Award at Texas State. More information on her background and activities can be found at cindyroyal.com.