Dr. Shaheen Kanthawala is an Associate Professor in the Department of Journalism & Creative Media (JCM) in the College of Communication & Information Sciences (C&IS) at the University of Alabama.

Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of health communication and technologies. Specifically, her research addresses how people use health-related technologies, such as health apps, the internet and social media, and online health communities, to self-manage their health conditions. She also examines how these technologies affect users’ decisions and outcomes.

More recently, she has also been looking at the role of platforms and platform governance, and content creators such as influencers. The governance of the platforms we use on a regular basis tend to lead to the information we have access to. Understanding how platforms govern themselves and the resulting outcomes is examined in her recent work. Furthermore, through content creators/influencers, we are exposed to their experiences, expertise, and lifestyles – how this affects both content creators and consumers is current and on-going work.

Shaheen is also the Technology, Culture & Society Initiative Director for C&IS’s Institute for Information and Communication Research (ICIR).

Education
Ph.D.     Michigan State University, 2019
M.A.     Michigan State University, 2015
M.A.     Michigan State University, 2012
B.Sc.     University of Mumbai, 2009

Primary Research Interests

• Health technologies
• Media Effects
• Social Media
• Content creators and influencers
• Platform Governance

Contact
​Office: Reese Phifer 430-B
E-mail: skanthawala@ua.edu