Dr. Elizabeth M. Glowacki (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an Associate Teaching Professor jointly appointed in the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences (Bouvé College of Health Sciences) and in the Department of Communication Studies (College of Arts, Media and Design) at Northeastern University. Her research interests lie in health communication, message design, persuasion, and mobile health. Her work has appeared in Substance Abuse, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, and American Journal of Infection Control. Dr. Glowacki has taught courses on medical communication, interpersonal communication, interviewing, public speaking, media writing, and intercultural communication. She is also the Associate Chair of Faculty Governance in the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences.
Dr. Glowacki has been interviewed and quoted in such outlets as ABC News and National Public Radio. She has also been interviewed by Northeastern Global News for multiple stories because of her research and teaching on topics grounded in health and interpersonal communication. These stories have covered medical misinformation, vaccine messaging, communicating over mobile devices, workplace dynamics, and relationship management.
Research/Publications Highlights
Taniguchi, E. & Glowacki, E.M. (2024). Reactions to depression disclosure on Facebook: Evaluating the effects of self-presentation style and peer comments. Stigma and Health, 9(1), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000309
Mello, S., Glowacki, E.M., Fuentes, I., & Seabolt, J. (2023). Communicating COVID-19 risk on Instagram: A content analysis of official public health messaging from during the first year of the pandemic. Journal of Health Communication, 28(1), 38-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2023.2175278
Glowacki, E.M., Wilcox, G.B., & Glowacki, J.B. (2021). Identifying #addiction concerns on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic: A text-mining analysis. Substance Abuse, 42(1), 39-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2020.1822489
Glowacki, E.M., Bernhardt, J.M., & McGlone, M.S. (2020). Tailored texts: An application of regulatory fit to text messages designed to reduce high-risk drinking. Health Informatics Journal, 26(3), 1742-1763. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458219889279
Glowacki, E.M. & Taylor, M.A. (2020). Health hyperbolism: A study in health crisis rhetoric. Qualitative Health Research, 30(12), 1953-1964. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732320916466
Departments
Communication Studies
Education
- PhD, Health Communication, University of Texas at Austin
- BA, English Literature and Communication, Boston College
Awards
- 2025, Distinguished Fellow, National Academies of Practice
- 2022, Bouvé Distinguished Educator Award, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University
- 2018, Top Paper Award, Health Communication Division, National Communication Association
Research Focus
- Health communication
- Message design
- Provider-patient communication
- Mobile health
Courses Taught
- Interpersonal Communication
- Health Communication
- Communication Skills for the Health Professions
