Lucy Popova

Dr. Lucy Popova is an Associate Professor in Health Policy & Behavioral Sciences at Georgia State University's School of Public Health. She specializes in health communication and tobacco control research, developing evidence-based messaging strategies to reduce tobacco initiation and promote cessation.

Education:

• Ph.D., Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara (2010)
• M.A., Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara (2008)
• B.A., Economics and Business, Westmont College (2001)

Her research employs mixed methodologies including content analysis, randomized experiments, surveys, and qualitative approaches to examine how emotion and information influence tobacco use behaviors. Current projects investigate warning label effectiveness, nicotine reduction policies, and tobacco product perceptions across diverse populations.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on tobacco control interventions, with recent work examining comparative risk perceptions, policy attitudes, and COVID-19 impacts on smoking behaviors. Research trends show increasing attention to global tobacco policies and marginalized populations.

Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NCI/NIDA), FDA Center for Tobacco Products, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and CDC Foundation.

She directs tobacco control research initiatives and mentors junior scholars through the School of Public Health research networks.