Emily Mendelson

Emily Mendelson is a PhD Candidate in Interpersonal Communication at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Department of Communication within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. She holds the Gratitude Fellowship from The Love Consortium for her cross-cultural research on love and gratitude expressions. Her research focuses on mediated relationships, health communication, sexual consent, and critical theory, with a particular emphasis on technology’s role in shaping interpersonal dynamics.

Education: M.A. Communication (Baylor University); B.S. Business Analytics (Binghamton University). She teaches courses such as CMN 111/112 (Oral/Written Communication), CMN 210 (Public Communication), and CMN 338 (Relationships and Technologies). She also serves as a co-managing editor for the Sex and Psychology blog/podcast and is affiliated with institutions like UNC CITAP.

Her work examines how digital platforms influence relationship dynamics, sexual health, and marginalized communities’ access to healthcare. Awards include the 2024 Donald P. Cushman Memorial Award (NCA) and the Illinois Distinguished Fellowship. She actively publishes in New Media & Society, Health Communication, and other journals, alongside blog posts addressing contemporary sex education and technological impacts.