Carolyn Eckert

Dr. Eckert’s research and teaching focus on how trust is built, challenged and reshaped through communication particularly in moments of crisis and uncertainty. Her work explores how public health messaging, media coverage and everyday conversations influence what people believe, who they trust and how they act. She is especially interested in risk and health communication including vaccine discourse, misinformation, and the role of media in shaping public understanding. Drawing on rhetorical theory and qualitative research methods, her work examines how credibility (ethos) is established and contested across different voices such as experts, journalists, institutions and communities. Her research highlights how communication does not simply transmit information but actively shapes public perception, decision-making and social response. In her teaching, Dr. Eckert brings these ideas into practical contexts, helping students understand how communication strategies work in real-world settings such as public relations, media and organizational communication. She emphasizes the importance of ethical, audience-centered communication and encourages students to think critically about how messages are created, circulated and received. Her goal is to equip students with both the analytical tools and practical skills needed to navigate complex communication environments, preparing them to become thoughtful and effective communicators in their chosen fields. | Rhetoric of trust, public relations strategy, risk and crisis communication, health communication, misinformation and disinformation, media and public discourse, vaccine communication, ethos and credibility, stakeholder engagement, communication ethics

Carolyn Eckert is Assistant Professor at MacEwan University. Their stated interests include Dr. Eckert’s research and teaching focus on how trust is built, challenged and reshaped through communication particularly in moments of crisis and uncertainty. Her work explores how public health messaging, media coverage and everyday conversations influence what people believe, who they trust and how they act. She is especially interested in risk and health communication including vaccine discourse, misinformation, and the role of media in shaping public understanding. Drawing on rhetorical theory and qualitative research methods, her work examines how credibility (ethos) is established and contested across different voices such as experts, journalists, institutions and communities. Her re. This summary considered all 2 collected sources.