Sharra Vostral

Sharra Vostral serves as Assistant Dean for Research at Northwestern University's School of Communication and holds a Professor of Instruction position in the Department of Communication Studies. Her interdisciplinary career bridges medical humanities, science and technology studies, and gender history through innovative research on bodily technologies and social narratives.

Her educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in History from Washington University in St. Louis, an M.A. in American Studies from St. Louis University, and a B.A. in Religious Studies with Honors from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.

Vostral's research critically examines intersections of gender, technology, and medicine across historical contexts, with particular focus on menstrual health, stigma communication, and medical technologies. Her work reveals how historical narratives shape contemporary healthcare practices and future imaginaries through analyses of visual cultures and social histories.

Her publications demonstrate consistent thematic evolution from menstrual hygiene technology history to contemporary menstrual equity movements, reflecting deepening engagement with public policy implications and global health justice frameworks across her scholarly trajectory.

Recognition for her contributions includes:

• Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois
• Fellow at the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities
• National Science Foundation Award
• Mellon Global Midwest initiative of Humanities Without Walls Award

Research funding from the National Science Foundation and Mellon Global Midwest initiative supports her ongoing investigations into menstrual product stigma. As Assistant Dean for Research, she leads scholarly initiatives while maintaining active media engagement through interviews with major outlets including The New York Times and BBC Radio 4.