In mid-August, the Collaborative on Media & Messaging for Health and Social Policy team gathered for a full team meeting, hosted at Wesleyan University. This gathering provided a valuable opportunity to connect in person, brainstorm ideas, and set the stage for the work we’ll be undertaking this year.
As we step into a new academic year, our team is energized and focused, ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in our continued research agenda on communication and health equity priorities. We are excited to welcome new members who were hired in the last year: Rebekah Wicke, Graduate Student at Cornell University; Muna Hassan, Research Coordinator at the University of Minnesota; Yujin Kim, Postdoctoral Researcher at Wesleyan University; and Marissa Evans, a consultant to the University of Minnesota team. (For a complete list of our team members, click here.)
In addition to welcoming new colleagues, we discussed current trends, comparing notes on pressing questions like our favorite font and what exactly “brat” means. This led to a lively debate over whether, in fact, COMM is brat?
Beyond the lighter moments, our focus remains clear: to build meaningful connections together and with community partners to advance communication research with impact. During our gathering, in addition to sharing our works in progress, we brainstormed new projects addressing crucial and timely issues. These initiatives include examining housing narratives, understanding racialization in policy and politics, representing Indigenous populations in data, communicating about systemic racism, and exploring the intersection of climate change and health.
Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, stay connected. Here’s to another successful year ahead!
