Dr. Monica Wang Featured In Research on Tap about Health Misinformation
In the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, dealing with health misinformation has become a part of our daily lives and has highlighted the importance of conducting research in this area.
The Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering and the BU Office of Research co-sponsored a recent Research on Tap on health misinformation – covering how it spreads, why it happens, and what we can do about it. This virtual event was hosted by Gianluca Stringhini, Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Engineering.
At this Research on Tap, attendees heard from BU faculty across a broad range of disciplines, including computer science, communication, and public health, discuss their research on better understanding and mitigating health misinformation.
One of the featured speakers was Dr. Monica Wang, the Associate Director of Narrative at the Center for Antiracist Research. Dr. Wang is also an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the BU School of Public Health and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“In an information-saturated environment where health misinformation is easily and quickly spread, it is critical for researchers to rethink how they are communicating their science to the public,” Dr. Wang says, “This involves understanding their audience’s values, avoiding jargon, and engaging people through ways that build connection, such as storytelling.”
Dr. Wang is nationally recognized as a leading health equity researcher in obesity and chronic disease prevention. She directs community-engaged research to target racial inequities in health and advances health equity through public health programs, policies, and science communication.
To learn more about health misinformation, view the event recording below.