Chelsea Ratcliff

Chelsea Ratcliff is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Georgia (UGA), affiliated with the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research. She holds a PhD and MA in Communication from the University of Utah. Her research focuses on science communication, particularly in health and environmental contexts, addressing how to effectively convey uncertain scientific evidence to diverse audiences. Key areas include ComSHER (Communicating Science, Health, Environment, and Risk), public understanding of science, message effects, and ethical consequences of communication.

Education:

• PhD in Communication, University of Utah
• MA in Communication, University of Utah

Research Interests:

• Public understanding of science communication
• Health communication and pandemic messaging
• Psychological reactance and narrative persuasion
• Ethical implications of science communication

Key Contributions:

• Developed the CUSP Lab (Communicating Uncertain Science to the Public) focusing on health and environmental communication.
• Published in high-impact journals like Science Communication, Health Communication, and Public Understanding of Science.
• Recipient of the AEJMC ComSHER Top Faculty Paper Award for work on uncertainty communication.

Advising and Grants:

• Mentors graduate students in communication research (e.g., Rebekah Wicke, Blue Harvill).
• Collaborates on NIH-funded projects and interdisciplinary initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Leads the CUSP Lab, emphasizing empirical studies on uncertainty communication in health crises like COVID-19.