After a decade-long career in broadcast journalism, Dr. Russomanno returned to higher education, first to earn his Ph.D., followed by his career at ASU and the Cronkite School that began in 1994. This second career revolves around the First Amendment – his teaching, research, writing and publications. As a scholar and teacher of the First Amendment and media law, he is motivated to help people not only understand their rights and obligations in these areas, but also to better grasp the political, historical and philosophical origins and development of those rights. They are the cornerstones of not only journalism, but also of any self-governing democracy.