Northwestern University
Welcome
Dr. Scherr is an expert in Applied Health Communication, with a focus on messages about health that are challenging due to scientific complexity, risk, or uncertainty. Drawing upon communication and behavioral theories, Dr. Scherr's research focuses on exploring, developing, and testing messages to promote patient understanding, informed decision-making, and adherence to medical recommendations. Her research has examined the communication of genetic test results, the association between alcohol and cancer, and the process of identifying developmental delays. Dr. Scherr's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Delaney Family Foundation, and the Lurie Cancer Center. She has received awards from the National Communication Association, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the DC Conference on Health Communication, and the American Association for Cancer Education. ​
Courtney Scherr (she/her) is an Associate Professor, Associate Chair, and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Communication Studies in the School of Communication at Northwestern University. She is the Director of the Advancing Risk Communication in Health Lab, a faculty member of the Feinberg School of Medicine Institute for Public Health and Medicine, and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Center at Northwestern University. Dr. Scherr is a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
