Hi! I'm Emily, a third-year PhD student in interpersonal communication at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Nice to Meet You!
My research focuses on communication about and within romantic and sexual relationships. Currently, I'm a Gratitude Fellow funded by The Love Consortium for a project that investigates cross-cultural expressions of love and gratitude. I'm also a co-managing editor for the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast run by Dr. Justin Lehmiller.
I utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate my research questions. I am interested in how individuals understand themselves within their interpersonal relationships, as well as how technology use mediates these experiences. Here, I pay specific attention to romantic and sexual relationships, sexual health, and consent. I also use critical theory to research health disparities, inaccessibility, and disability.
Given my interests, some of the research questions I am focused on include...
How do online spaces catalyze sensemaking about our relationships with close others?
How do individuals communicate their sexual willingness through digital channels?
How are marginalized individuals disenfranchised by the healthcare system?