Population Health Spotlight Speaker Series: Dr. Sell
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
2:00 PM-3:00 PM
This Population Health Spotlight Speaker Series event features Tara Kirk Sell, PhD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Talk title: Managing Health-Related Rumors and Improving Trust in Public Health
In every community, rumors can
create a barrier to effective preparedness for, responses to, and recovery from
public health emergencies. This session will focus on meaningful actions public
health can take to manage this issue. After first describing the problem, this
session will describe tools, resources, and implementation activities focused
on increasing state and local public health capacity to improve communication,
build trust, and address rumors.
Register to attend via Zoom
About the Speaker:
Tara Kirk Sell, PhD, is a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her work focuses on public health preparedness and response, risk communication, and combating misleading health rumors.
Sell leads the Region 3 Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response and focuses her work on preparedness, public trust, and risk communication. She also led work on the TRUST in Public Health project and the Practical Playbook to Address Health Rumors, both funded by CDC. She also works in practice locally, chairing her county health board. Prior to her work in academia she was a professional athlete and won a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics.
About the Series:
The Next Public Health: Rethinking Health Communication for a Changing World
How do we talk about public health in a world of misinformation and rapid change? Over this academic year, our Population Health Spotlight Seminar Series will feature distinguished speakers sharing strategies, challenges, and innovations to communicate health information effectively amidst uncertainty and change.
With misinformation, uncertainty, and discord shaping public discourse, effective communication has never been more critical. This year’s series will bring leading voices in health communication to present their research, experiences, and insights on how to foster trust, convey evidence, and engage diverse audiences.
The series will feature thought-provoking talks, interactive discussions, and opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to connect with speakers in smaller group settings.
Contact Information
Dan Castranova
dc3482@drexel.edu