Research

Research is a major focus of the Health & Risk Communication Center. Our affiliate faculty partner internally and externally to study major communication issues concerning health, science, risk, and the environment. 

Projects and Partnerships

See our Projects & Partnerships, as well as Grants and Contracts, for examples of HRCC work.

The Healthy People, Healthy Planet Poll (HP2)

The HRCC works with the Environmental Law and Policy Center to perform the annual Healthy People, Healthy Planet (HP2) poll. This project includes the collection and analysis of data about attitudes concerning health, economy, and environment. 

Learn more about the HP2 Poll

The HRCC Message Vault

The HRCC Message Vault is an online repository of health and risk communication messages, stimuli, and databases of messages for faculty and students to use in their teaching and research. The concept of the Message Vault was created, designed, and branded by HRCC faculty.

Explore the HRCC Message Vault

Our Research Cores

The HRCC structures its research in five main core areas, based on the strengths of affiliate faculty. One of these areas rotates annually, to allow the HRCC to rapidly engage with changing research trends. 

List of HRCC affiliate faculty publications from the 2022 academic year.

Resource folder for HRCC affiliate faculty.

• Intervention & Campaign Design

  The Intervention & Campaign Design Core aims to develop and study means to affect behavioral change for better health. 

  Core Leader: John Besley

• Neurocognitive & Biological Communication

  The Neurocognitive and Biological Communication studies communication and health behavior from a biological perspective.

  Core Leader: Ralf Schmaelzle

• Social Media & Emerging Tech

  The Social Media & Emerging Tech Core looks at the role of social media and new technology in health behaviors.

  Core Leader: Wei Peng

• Diversity & Cultural Communication

  The Diversity and Cultural Communication Core studies cultural aspects of health communication, including communicating to diverse audiences. 

  Core Leader: Bruno Takahashi

• Center Proposal Development

  Core Leader: Maria Lapinski