I’m a doctoral candidate and the Co-Director of the Center of Media Psychology and Social Influence (COM-PSI) in the School of Communication at Northwestern University. Advised by Dr. Nathan Walter, my research investigates the emotional mechanisms that shape the ways we interact with– and are ultimately influenced by– various types of mediated information. Specifically, my work centers upon two fundamental questions: how do the messages we read, watch, and hear on a daily basis make us feel, and how do those feelings shape what we believe and how we behave in response? Focusing primarily on topics related to health and science, my areas of expertise include the role of mixed emotions in shaping message effects, resistance to persuasion under conditions of uncertainty, and the social influence of narrative storytelling and entertainment-education. My research has been published in a variety of journals– including Journal of Communication, Media Psychology, and Science Communication– and has received funding from the Delaney Family Foundation. The ultimate goal of my work is to contribute to the development of communication tools and interventions that promote the uptake of prosocial attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. I’m a graduate of Mercer University (B.A., Communication Studies) and Wake Forest University (M.A., Communication).