Erika Franklin Fowler

Erika Franklin Fowler is a Professor of Government and Director of the Wesleyan Media Project (WMP) at Wesleyan University. She specializes in political communication, health policy, and media analysis, focusing on campaign advertising and its impact on public health and elections. Her work bridges political science, communication, and public health, with research on topics such as Affordable Care Act messaging, pandemic communication, and digital political advertising. Fowler has secured nearly $5M in grants and co-authored Political Advertising in the United States. She teaches courses on media and politics, empirical methods, and campaigns, receiving the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2019.

Educational background includes a PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a BA from St. Olaf College. She previously served as a Robert Wood Johnson Scholar in Health Policy Research and directed the University of Wisconsin NewsLab. Her research emphasizes transparency in political advertising, analyzing TV and digital ads in real-time during elections. Fowler also advises on public health communication strategies, particularly during crises like the coronavirus pandemic.

Her awards include the Binswanger Prize and recognition for her contributions to media analysis and policy. She collaborates on initiatives like Social Science One, leveraging Facebook data to study social media's role in elections. Fowler’s work is frequently cited in national media, and she serves on the ABC News Election Night Decision Desk.