Larry grew up in a blue-collar, working-class family on a small Ohio farm. His interest in communication study originates from a unique childhood environment where he lived with over forty children. (Thankfully not all at one time!) Kids came and went and sometimes stayed—all victims of extreme life disruptions. The tension between continuity and change, combined with the dual responsibilities for empathy and hard work, sustained the community that was his single-family home. Those early years inspired a lifelong curiosity about people, their experiences, and their ideas. How do we learn to appreciate each other, to build a sense of community, and to navigate the social fabric of our lives? How do we address challenges, ameliorate suffering, and envision dynamic, inclusive realities? Invariably, these concerns exist on overlapping planes, both domestic and global. Across all venues, communication research is essential if community is to be built, maintained, adapted, or changed. The Inquiry Project for Communication Research is dedicated to questions and the research they inspire. Luckily, so is its director!

Identifying basic questions graced by apt modes of inquiry is essential. While many appealing questions call, Larry’s current focus is on better understanding the history, patterns, and communication approaches through which information is acquired from unwilling informants.