Erica Weintraub Austin

Erica Weintraub Austin is a Professor and Director of the Murrow Center for Media and Health Promotion Research at Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. A fellow in the International Communication Association and recipient of the Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award, her work bridges media literacy, health communication, and political engagement.

• Ph.D., Communication, Stanford University (1989)
• A.M., Communication, Stanford University (1988)
• B.A., Journalism (special honors), George Washington University (1982)

Her research focuses on media literacy as a tool for healthier decision-making and civic engagement across ages. She developed the Message Interpretation Process Model, widely cited in media literacy intervention studies. Current projects examine Covid-19 disinformation mitigation and family nutrition programs.

Her recent publications span health communication, media literacy effects, and political engagement, with a focus on youth and family contexts. Articles explore topics like alcohol advertising skepticism and pandemic vaccine intentions.

Scientific Recognition:

• Top 2% Scientists, Elsevier (2023)
• ICA Fellow (2021)
• Public Relations Educator of the Year (2004)

She has advised numerous WSU students in studies on media effects, led statewide anti-tobacco campaigns, and contributed to curricula like FoodMania! and Take It Seriously: Sex and Media. Her work appears in journals such as Current Obesity Reports, Journal of Health Communication, and Health Communication.