Dr. Sean J. Upshaw, who completed his education at Howard University in 2018, is an Assistant Professor at the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Texas at Austin, within the Moody College of Communication. As an esteemed Edward Alexander Bouchet Scholar, he has contributed to various academic journals, including Health Communication, Applied Communication Research, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Health Communication, Howard Journal of Communications, Patient Education & Counseling, and Journalism Studies.
Dr. Upshaw's research focuses on health disparities, with a particular emphasis on culturally tailored health message design and interpretation, visual persuasion in health communication, cultural health literacy, and the representation of BIPOC communities in cultural media. As an interdisciplinary scholar, he integrates health communication, medical illustration, anthropology, and media studies to understand how BIPOC communities comprehend and utilize health messages, especially in the context of healthcare disparities.
Recognized for his culture-centered approach in health communication, Dr. Upshaw employs qualitative research methodologies, including community-participatory and equity science approaches, to address health disparities and inequities within BIPOC populations. His collaboration with cross-disciplinary scholars focuses on topics related to COVID-19 cultural messaging, heart disease and maternal health in Texas, and media framing, social media engagement, and vaccine participation.
PUBLICATIONS:
- Health Communication
- Applied Communication Research
- Journal of Behavioral Medicine
- Journal of Health Communication
- Howard Journal of Communications
- Patient Education & Counseling
- Journalism Studies
ORGANIZATIONS:
- National Communication Association (NCA)
- International Communication Association (ICA)
- Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
- Association of Medical Illustration (AMI)
