Lourdes S. Martinez

Dr. Lourdes S. Martinez is a Professor in the School of Communication at San Diego State University (SDSU) and Associate Director at the Center for Human Dynamics in the Mobile Age (HDMA). Her interdisciplinary work bridges social psychology, communication, and public health through social media analytics and behavioral research.

• B.A. in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University (2004)
• M.A. in Communication from University of Pennsylvania (2008)
• Ph.D. in Communication from University of Pennsylvania (2011)

Her research focuses on:

• Health behavior determinants in marginalized populations
• Social media's role in public health policy
• Misinformation and behavioral analytics
• Development of communication scales for health assessment

Recent publications highlight her expertise in oral health disparities among Mexican-origin young adults, Twitter-based health campaign analysis, and social determinants of health. Her work combines theoretical frameworks with practical interventions in health communication.

Scientific awards:

• Top Paper in Communication and Instruction Division, Western States Communication Association (2019)

Grants and collaborative work include NIH funding and partnerships with public health organizations. She mentors graduate students like Bonnie Deal (2019) and Hannah Harrer (2019) in communication competence assessments and social media research.

Affiliated with the Center for Human Dynamics in the Mobile Age (HDMA) at SDSU, her team integrates data science with health communication to address community health needs through social media surveillance and behavioral analytics.