Nikki McClaran is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Her research explores the cognitive and social determinants of health behaviors and examines how mediated messages can be constructed to facilitate successful persuasion and message engagement. By connecting communication theory, public health, media studies, and psychology, McClaran studies the process by which media impacts people’s lives and applies this theoretical knowledge to develop messages that aim to improve well-being. Her work has addressed a variety of health topics, including vaccination, health-related illnesses, gender-based violence, sleep, and alcohol consumption, among others.

McClaran’s research has been presented at international and national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals such as Human Communication Research, Health Communication, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, and Journal of Environmental Management. Her work has also received funding from organizations and agencies such as the National Communication Association and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Before joining the SOJC, McClaran was an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University. She also held several public relations and digital marketing roles in agency and non-profit settings prior to pursuing her PhD at Michigan State University.