MEET A GRAD STUDENT: CHLOE GANSEN

The Ph.D. student has spent her time in higher education researching health communication.

❙ INTERVIEW BY AMANDA FRETHEIM GATES

Originally from Janesville, Wisc., Ph.D. student Chloe Gansen’s research interests are in health communication with a focus on how information in the media environment contributes to vaccine hesitancy. Currently, she is interested in the effects of media messages that politicize science and health recommendations by associating the topics with controversy or partisan conflict.

Q Why did you choose to attend the University of Minnesota?

A While I was deciding whether and where to pursue a Ph.D., a common theme I kept hearing from other doctoral students was how the people (faculty, program staff, advisors) can make all the difference in whether you have a positive, fruitful experience. Having truly enjoyed building connections at the Hubbard School during my B.A. and M.A., it was an easy decision to make—I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to continue learning from the School’s amazing health communication faculty and experts from other mass communication subfields.

Q What Hubbard School professors have inspired you in your work, and why?

A Quite honestly, the idea of graduate school wasn’t even on my radar until I met Drs. Rebekah Nagler and Marco Yzer. They have been major sources of support and inspiration throughout my academic journey, and I credit them with sparking my interest in health communication research. I especially find the implications of their work inspiring, as their research provides important learnings regarding the development of effective messaging and strategies that support public health efforts. Dr. Nagler’s research on the effects of exposure to conflicting health information has also motivated research questions that led to my interest in the implications of politicized health messaging.

Q What have you found to be some of the best features of the Hubbard School Ph.D. program?

A The learning community and supportive, collaborative atmosphere are by far the best features of the School.

Q What parts of your current research projects excite you most?

A The opportunity to work with health communication scholars whose work I’ve admired for years, as well as experts from other disciplines—including public health and epidemiology—is what excites me most about my current research projects. These collaborations have been invaluable for my development as a scholar.

Q What advice would you give to someone considering graduate school?

A In addition to speaking with current or past graduate students about their experiences, it’s equally valuable to connect with people who found professional success without obtaining a graduate degree. This allows you to gain a balanced perspective to better reflect on your own professional and personal goals, and find the best path forward.