معرفی
Rachel Smith is the Dr. Nancy J. Metzger Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences and Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on social influence, stigma communication, and health campaigns, with expertise in quantitative methods and network analysis. She holds affiliations with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics.
- Education:
- B.A./B.S., Boston University (Psychology & Broadcast/Film, 1994)
- M.S., University of Arizona (Communication, 1999)
- Ph.D., Michigan State University (Communication, 2003)
Her work examines how social power, networks, and stigma shape persuasion and health behaviors. Recent studies include evaluating digital storytelling for opioid stigma reduction and analyzing risk communication during outbreaks. She has secured grants from NIH, Gates Foundation, CDC, and USAID.
Current advisees include Ruth Osoro (Ph.D., 2026) and Youzhen Su (Ph.D., 2026). Teaching spans quantitative methods, health communication, and social influence theories. Her lab collaborates on interdisciplinary projects addressing global health challenges like malaria control and antibiotic resistance.
