Sanghwa Oh

Sanghwa Oh is an Assistant Professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising and the Institute of Communications Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They are also an affiliate researcher at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Their research focuses on public health communication, social media effects, nutrition policy, and risk perception, with a particular emphasis on pandemic communication strategies, health disparities, and misinformation dynamics.

Key research areas include analyzing how governments and public health agencies use social media during crises, addressing communication barriers in marginalized communities, and examining socioeconomic differences in preventive health behaviors. Their work spans both the United States and South Korea, exploring cross-cultural communication challenges.

Recent studies highlight the role of emotional content in social media during health crises, the spread of misinformation via instant messaging apps, and the interplay between digital communication technologies and cultural/language barriers. Collaborations involve interdisciplinary teams across public health, sociology, and communication studies.

Advising and grants focus on advancing communication strategies to improve public health outcomes and reduce disparities. Their affiliation with multiple institutes underscores a commitment to bridging communication research with genomic and biological sciences for societal benefit.