Dr. Oppegaard is trusted and has proven expertise in leading cross-functional teams nationally and internationally, developing research methodologies, and executing multimodal design-research strategies to enhance digital media experiences. Adept at stakeholder engagement, ambiguity management, and fostering inclusive design, he has been recognized by many national and international organizations for advancing research and development (R&D) across disciplines — including media accessibility (with an emphasis on Audio Description), Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), and locative media — while securing major federal and corporate grants, and mentoring hundreds of next-generation professionals.

Along the way, Dr. Oppegaard has:

• Collaborated with staff members at public attractions in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. (Oklahoma, you're next on our list!) and developed research partnerhips in more than 10 other countries.


• Been recognized for his work by an array of international, national, and state organizations, including The American Alliance of Museums, The American Council of the Blind, The European Heritage Association, Helen Keller Services, the Society for History in the Federal Government, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.


• Presented his research findings in formal academic presentations around the world, including in Canada, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Kenya, Spain, and Norway.


• Consulted for a wide variety of organizations with public audiences, including aquariums, battlefields, conservatories, government buildings, halls, historical sites, lakeshores, libraries, memorials, monuments, museums, national parks, parkways, performing arts centers, public art collections, schools, seashores, theaters, trails, universities, wildlife refuges, and zoos.


• Pioneered as a matter of practice, as a first-generation college graduate; who became a member of the first cohort of arts critics recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts; who finished possibly the first dissertation in the world to focus upon smartphone geolocation technologies and their affordances for media at public attractions; who became the first Communication professor at Washington State University's campus in Vancouver, WA; who founded the Communication minor at WSU Vancouver and grew it into the largest minor on campus in just three years; who co-created (with his brother and Access Hound co-founder Joe Oppegaard) the first open-access software suite in the world (The UniDescription Project) dedicated specifically to the production and dissemination of static Audio Description; who created the first mobile app in Yellowstone National Park's history; who became the first faculty member at the University of Hawai‘i to win its Innovation Impact Showcase twice; and who then co-created the state of Oregon's first accredited UX Certificate at a public university (at Oregon Tech), with a special emphasis on media accessibility.

In his practice, Dr. Oppegaard typically uses inductive reasoning to deeply study the ways in which representative stakeholders act when engaged in specific activities in particular media ecosystems. His data collection strategies often get designed within specific physical environments and with particular support systems in place, allowing him to make full sense of the research objectives through the theoretical lens of Activity Theory.

His findings and strategic recommendations regularly lead to impactful recommendations that improve the economics of a system, by creating new efficiencies, but also by amplify the effectiveness of users engaged in activities in those systems. He also loves to do public good, as recognized by multiple community awards noting his benevolence. Dozens of examples of his work are below.

As a former journalist and arts critic, with a love for Sherlock Holmes stories, Dr. Oppegaard appreciates the tiniest of details in a person’s narrative that can lead to profound deductions, deeper understandings, and competitive advantages. This thoughtful approach has given him a knack for finding the clues and universal strains of motivation and engagement that exist in an audience member, leading to innovative designs and research findings based on those analyses.

He also has:

• Served on faculty appointments at 5 different universities and colleges; and earned 4 degrees from 4 different universities, including a Ph.D. from Texas Tech University, and a master's degree from the University of Portland, both summa cum laude.


• Rapidly developed and expanded multiple academic programs, including seeding the Communication minor at WSU's Vancouver campus and growing it into the biggest minor on campus; tripling the number of majors in the Journalism program over his 5 years as Program Director at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; and helping to co-create the first accredited UX certificate in the state of Oregon, at the Oregon Institute of Technology.


• Taught and mentored hundreds of students and professionals at various levels of development, from undergraduate to Ph.D. students, and from classified staff to Associate Professors.


• Earned multiple teaching awards — including recognition of innovative teaching practices at the campus level and nationally — as well as received unanimous support at all levels of review (Program, School, College, campus-wide Tenure & Promotion Committee, Vice Provost, and President) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa for both tenure and promotion to Associate Professor and for promotion to full Professor, the highest academic rank with the highest possible degree.

He uses — and has taught at the university level — a mix of methods and research approaches that blend qualitative and quantitative research methodologies via a reliable triangulation strategy that seeks to establish multiple sources of independent data to confirm any single research assertion. His favorite method is the one that works the best. That means he takes great care to make careful research plans that produce solid and clear recommendations, and when he gives one, you can count on it.