Dr. Russell B. Clayton is the Distinguished and Endowed Provost McKenzie Professor at Florida State University, where he is a Professor in the School of Communication and Director of the Cognition and Emotion Lab. He earned his B.S. in psychology and M.A. in health psychology from Texas State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, with a focus in health and strategic communication. His research centers on media psychology, health communication, and psychophysiological methods, with a particular emphasis on evaluating and optimizing persuasive health messages aimed at preventing and reducing substance use—including drug, alcohol, tobacco, and non-tobacco nicotine use—among young adults. Dr. Clayton’s research program has been supported by more than $3.4 million in competitive funding from federal (NIH/NCI), state (FDOT), field, and university foundation sources. He has authored more than 45 peer-reviewed publications in flagship communication, psychology, medicine, and health journals and serves on the editorial boards of nine leading communication journals. He has received three university-level teaching awards, including the University Distinguished Teaching award, the university’s highest honor for teaching, presented annually to a single faculty member.
Jessica Weinberg
Jessica Weinberg is an undergraduate student in Media and Communication Studies and Music at Florida State University. She has been on the CEL team since September 2024. Jessica is interested in media psychology and media effects with a specific interest in music’s impact on behavior and emotion. During Jessica’s free time, she enjoys painting, writing, cooking, and performing with the FSU classical percussion studio.
Sazzad Mahmud “Shuvo”
Sazzad Mahmud Shuvo is a PhD student with a research interest in crisis and health communication. Shuvo holds an MA in Communication from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He also has an MA and BA in English Literature from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Prior to coming to the USA, he worked in the non-profit sector for more than eight years in advocacy and communications focusing on health disparities, campaigns, and influencing policymaking processes. He likes to watch movies during his free time.