Sarah Gollust

Sarah Gollust is a Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, specializing in the intersections of communication, politics, and health policy. She is affiliated with the Center for the Study of Political Psychology, the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and multiple research centers including the Healthy Weight Research Center and Masonic Cancer Center.

• Education: PhD in Health Services Organization and Policy from the University of Michigan (2008), BA in Biology from Wesleyan University (2001).

Her research examines media influences on public opinion regarding health policies such as obesity, health equity, the Affordable Care Act, and cancer screening. She also investigates how research translates into policymaking. Her work has been funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Cancer Society, Russell Sage Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in population health at the University of Pennsylvania.

As of July 2025, she serves as Editor of the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law. She is a founding member of the Collaborative on Media and Messaging for Health and Social Policy, an interdisciplinary group studying media's impact on public attitudes. Her expertise spans equity, politics, public opinion, and communication.

• Awards: David Kline Jones Distinguished Scholar Award (2022), UMN School of Public Health Advising Award (2022), McKnight Land-Grant Professor (2014-2016), Delta Omega Honorary Society (2014).