Sept ‘24 - Present: Research Assistant, Department of Communication, University of Utah,
Dr. Leandra Hernandez.

Aug ‘23 - Present: Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, University of Utah. 

Aug ‘21 - May ‘23: Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Communication, San Diego State University. 

Jan ‘21 -  May ‘21: Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, Concordia University Irvine.

2026 University Teaching Assistantship, The Graduate School, University of Utah.

Darling, D.M.G. Forthcoming 2027. The comment section: Pornographic undesirability and the public policing of pleasure production. QED: A Journal of Queer Worldmaking. Accepted.

Darling, D.M.G., Hernández, L.H., Garza, G.Y., & Medina, M. (2026). Lifting as we climb: Archiving the queer lives of rock climbers in the Wasatch Front. QED: A Journal of Queer Worldmaking. Submitted May 2026. Revise and Resubmit

Hernández, L.H., Darling, D.M.G., & Kastellec. M. (2026). From crags to archives: Queer worldbuilding and organizing with the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers Organization. Community Organizing Journal. https://doi.org/10.71057/k7sepv79

Darling, D.M.G. (2026). Topping the genre: Pro-porn feminist implications of trans-topping in gay pornography. Critical Studies in Media Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2025.2602733

Darling, D.M.G. (2025). H(a)unting grounds: Exorcising the queer ghosts of metronormativity. Journal of Homosexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2025.2569361

Darling, D. (2023). My anger is still a small boy: (Dis)embodied anger as survival.
Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research. 21(1), 30-47
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/kaleidoscope/vol21/iss1/4

Darling, D.M.G. Forthcoming. Oh dear, don’t be discouraged. In J. Manning (Ed.) The Song Remembers When: Stories of Life, Memory, and Music. Under Review.

Hernández, L.H., Darling, D.M.G., Meyara, S.B., & Munz, S. Forthcoming. Advocacy, community, and intersectional approaches. In V. Agarwal, & C.S. Beck (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication and Social Justice. Routledge.

Darling, D.M.G., & Hernández, L.H. Forthcoming. LGBTQ+ Communities and Mental Health: Future Directions for Queer Thriving and Joy. In V. Agarwal (Ed.), Mental Health and Communication: Mental Health Disparities, Challenges, Manifestations: A Communicative Perspective. (Vol 2). Routledge.

McGinnis, D.C., & Darling, D.M.G. (2027). A swing and a miss: Navigating the critical semiotics of antiblack aesthetics in elite leisure sports. Paper submitted to the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) annual conference, Communication and Sports Division, Madison, WI.

Darling, D.M.G., & McGinnis, D.C. (2026). A constellation of moments: The relational movement and poetic transformation of queer mentorship. Paper to be presented at the National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Ethnography Division, New Orleans, LA.

Darling, D.M.G., Hernández, L.H., Garza, G.Y., Medina, M. (2026). Lifting as we climb: Archiving the queer lives of rock climbers in the Wasatch Front. Paper to be presented at the Western States Communication Association (WSCA) annual conference, Communication, Identity, and Difference Interest Group, Los Angeles, CA. Top Four Paper, Communication, Identity, and Difference Interest Group.

Darling, D.M.G., & Hernández, L.H.(2026). Small footholds of joy: Moving towards queer joy and worldmaking as critical mental health praxis. Paper to be presented at the National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Caucus for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer Issues, New Orleans, LA. Top Four Paper, Caucus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns

Bright, C., Darling, D.M.G., Zukosky, C., Garza, G.Y.,  Torre, J., Medina, M., Davis, T., & Griffin, R.A. (2026).  Race(ing) to the table: Critical race theory, counterstorytelling, and breaking bread as communicative praxis. Paper to be presented at the National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, African American Studies Division, New Orleans, LA.

Hernández, L.H., Darling, D.M.G., & Kastellec. M. (2026). From crags to archives: Queer worldbuilding and organizing with the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers Organization. Paper submitted to the National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Activism and Social Justice Division, New Orleans, LA.

Darling, D.M.G. (2026). The stories we keep. Paper presented at The Central States Communication Association (CSCA) annual conference, Performance and Autoethnography Interest Group, Minneapolis, MN. Top Five Paper, Performance and Autoethnography Interest Group

Darling, D.M.G. (2026). For all my dead friends / how (un)becoming of us. Paper presented at The Central States Communication Association (CSCA) annual conference, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Caucus, Minneapolis, MN. Jimmie Manning Award. Top Paper, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Caucus.

Darling, D.M.G. (2026). A white queer problem. Paper presented at The Southern States Communication Association (SSCA) annual conference, Identity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Division. Birmingham, AL.

Darling, D.M.G., Hernandez, L. H. Garza, G. Y., & Medina, M. (2025) Finding the higher ground: Considering the necessity of queer oral histories and archive-making with the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers. Paper presented at The Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender (OSCLG) annual conference. Memphis, TN.

Darling, D.M.G. (2025) Frankensex: Monstrous desire and sex work in Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Critical Cultural Studies Division. Denver, CO,

Darling, D. (2025). H(a)unting grounds: Exorcising the queer ghosts of metronormativity. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, GLBTQ Division. Denver, CO.

Darling, D. (2025). Stories of the saccharine: Elevating the queer ecologies of sweetness in a colonial world. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Environmental Communication Division. Denver, CO.

Darling, D. (2025). Topping the genre: Elevating the pro-porn feminist implications of trans-topping in gay pornography. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Feminist and Gender Studies Division. Denver, CO.

Darling, D. (2025). Imagining a floral politic of support: The rhetorics of florality and palimpsestic pansy visions of queerness in bloom. Paper presented at The Western States Communication Association (WSCA) annual conference, Environmental Communication Interest Group. Albuquerque, NM. Top Student Paper, Environmental Communication Interest Group.

Darling, D. (2024). If I survive today, I’ll see you tomorrow: Regarding suicidal writing, biopolitical resistance, and the performance of staying alive. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Performance Division. New Orleans, LA. Top Four Student Paper, Performance Studies Division.

Darling, D. (2024). Regarding Himeros: A case for gay pornography and methods of the rhetorically erotic. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Critical Cultural Studies Division. New Orleans, LA.

Darling, D. (2023). A dirty spectacle: Resistance at the intersection of sex work and stigma. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Ethnography Division. National Harbor, MD. John T. Warren Award. Top Student Paper,  Ethnography Division.

Powell, A., & Darling, D. (2023). Our threats are not idle: On organizing, mobilizing, and advocating for graduate student well-being. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Organizational Communication Division. Baltimore, MD. Top Student Paper, Organizational Communication Division.

Darling, D. (2023). I am fuckable. I always have been: Embracing pornographic undesirability as sexual empowerment. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, GLBTQ Division. National Harbor, MD. Top Four Paper, GLBTQ Division.

Darling, D. (2023). I love academia, but I love myself more: (Queer) cultural collisions in educational praxis. Paper submitted to The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, International and Intercultural Communication Division. National Harbor, MD.

Lawson, D. (2023).  The alpha house boys: Tiktok, Onlyfans, and digital infrastructures of sex work. Paper presented at The Western States Communication Association (WSCA) annual conference, Intercultural Division. Phoenix, AZ. Top Student Paper, Intercultural Communication Interest Group.

Lawson, D. (2022). You, me, and Timothy: An autoerotic screenplay on sex work and academia. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, GLTBQ Division. New Orleans, LA. Top Student Paper, GLBTQ Division.

Lawson, D. (2022). My anger is still a small boy. (Dis)embodied anger as survival. Paper presented at The International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (IQCI) annual conference, Autoethnography Division. Champaign-Urbana, IL.

Lawson, D. (2021). Performing in the pandemic: An autoethnographic examination of collegiate speech during Covid-19. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, American Forensics Association Division. Seattle, WA. Top Student Paper, American Forensics Association Division.

Lawson, D. (2021). From the ashes: Re-membering Paris is Burning and the queer counterpublic. Paper presented at The National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference, Student Division. Seattle, WA.

Lawson, D. (2020). Frankensissy: An analysis of queer monstrosity. Paper/poster presented at Concordia University Irvine’s President's Academic Showcase Undergraduate Research Competition. Irvine, CA. Best Poster Presentation, 2020.