معرفی
Dr. Petya Eckler is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Media and Communication at the University of Strathclyde, part of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. Her research focuses on health communication through social media, particularly examining how young people's body image and mental health are influenced by social media use. She leads the Working Group on Body Image and Eating Disorders, fostering collaboration between academics, clinicians, and advocacy groups. Dr. Eckler holds a PhD in Electronic Word of Mouth from the University of Missouri and has contributed to advisory groups like the Scottish Government’s Healthy Body Image Advisory Group. She has received awards including the Runner-up Prize for Outstanding Impact on Society (2020) and multiple Scottish Student Journalism Awards.
Her work spans topics such as vaccination hesitancy, social media addiction, and crisis communication. She teaches courses in journalism, strategic communication, and media and health. Dr. Eckler actively engages in public outreach through media talks, TEDx presentations, and collaborative projects like the #HealthySocialMedia initiative. She supervises PhD students exploring themes like the 'ideal beach body,' influencer identity, and K-pop fandom dynamics.
Key research projects include the Health Literacy in Crisis project (Newton Funds, 2017–2018) addressing gender-based violence among Syrian refugees. Her interdisciplinary collaborations extend to departments like Marketing and Psychology, reflecting her commitment to addressing complex societal issues through media and health studies.
