Professional Summary
Dr. Kelly Merrill Jr. (he/him/his) is an Assistant Professor of Health Communication and Technology in the School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati.
His primary research interests are at the intersection of health communication and communication technology. In particular, he is interested in addressing health disparities among racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities. In doing so, he examines patient-provider communication, social support, and group-based medical mistrust in various contexts. Further, his research investigates the use of communication technologies, such as artificial intelligence, social media, and video games for social, physical, and mental health benefits. He has published more than 20 articles in various journals, including Journal of Medical Internet Research, Computers in Human Behavior, Telematics and Informatics, and Communication Research Reports, and he has published two book chapters on the use of communication technologies for health-related outcomes. He has also received over $150,000 in grant funding to support community-based research that seeks to address (digital) health disparities among minority communities.
Education
B.S.: Barry University Miami Shores, FL, 2016 (Mathematical Sciences; General Mathematics Specialization)
B.A.: Barry University Miami Shores, FL, 2016 (Broadcast and Emerging Media)
M.A.: University of Central Florida Orlando, FL, 2018 (Communication; Mass Communication Specialization)
Ph.D.: The Ohio State University Columbus, OH, 2022 (Communication)