Rachael Record

Dr. Rachael Record is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication at San Diego State University (SDSU), part of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. She holds a B.A. in Communication from SUNY Buffalo (2009), and M.A. (2011) and Ph.D. (2014) in Communication from the University of Kentucky, with certificates in Health Communication and Applied Statistics. Her research focuses on health communication campaigns, tobacco prevention, and thirdhand smoke awareness. As Associate Director of the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center, she develops evidence-based educational materials to mitigate thirdhand smoke exposure risks. Her work integrates mixed methods, exploring social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit, and Yik Yak for health promotion and intervention strategies.

Research interests include health behavior change theories, digital communication's role in public health, and the psychological impacts of media messaging. Notable projects examine loneliness mitigation through social media, millennial climate change perceptions, and e-cigarette marketing across cultures. Dr. Record teaches courses such as Health Communication, Quantitative Methods, and Service Learning in Health Communication. She advises graduate students on topics like cheating behavior models and health message design. Her work has been presented at leading conferences including NCA, ICA, and WSCA, with publications in Health Communication and Journal of Health Communication.