Ellen Peters, School of Journalism and Communication

Ellen Peters, Philip H. Knight Chair

Philip H. Knight Chair and Professor
Director, Center for Science Communication Research
ellenpet@uoregon.edu
Practice Areas: Science Communication, Judgment and Decision-Making, Numeracy, Affect and Emotion, Adult Aging

Faculty bio | 541-346-3828 | X / Twitter

Ellen Peters is an academic expert in decision-making and the science of science communication. Her primary research interests are how people judge and decide, and how evidence-based communication can boost comprehension and improve decision-making in health, financial, and environmental contexts. She is especially interested in the basic building blocks of human judgment and decision making—such as emotions and number abilities—and their links to effective communication techniques. These processes are also central to the effects of adult aging in decision-making as well as to public policy issues, such as how to communicate about the health effects of smoking or the pros and cons of cancer screenings and treatments. She is also interested in methods to increase number ability, a.k.a. numeracy, to improve decision-making and, in turn, health and financial outcomes.

As the director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, Ellen explores how policy makers, physicians, and other experts can enhance public understanding of science and technology by advancing the science of science communication.

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