Collegiate Affiliation

I am a full professor in the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, where I hold the Don and Carole Larson Professorship in Health Communication.

My research focuses on how individuals respond to news and information about contentious health, scientific, and political issues in digital environments. I study how to (1) detect and correct misinformation via social media, especially on health and political topics, (2) use news media literacy messages to limit biased processing and improve information consumption habits, (3) encourage attention to higher quality and more diverse online content. I prioritize using diverse and novel research methods - including experiments, surveys, content analysis, qualitative interviews - to better match an evolving hybrid media environment.

Educational Background & Specialties
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Educational Background

  • B.A.: Journalism and Mass Communication; Spanish, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005
  • M.A.: Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008
  • Ph.D.: Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2011

Specialties

  • Political Communication
  • Health Communication
  • Digital Media Effects
  • Identifying and Correcting Misinformation