December 6, 2013

Gary L. Kreps, PhD, FAAHB
University Distinguished Professor, Department of Communication
Director, Center for Health and Risk Communication, George Mason University

About the Presentation: Health information technologies hold tremendous promise for improving health outcomes. Yet e-health applications too often fail to fully capture users’ attention through the development of meaningful health promoting relationships. This presentation will examine key strategies for promoting effective digital health communication by increasing the immediacy of e-health programs. Particular attention will be given to the applications of artificial intelligence for developing relationally-sensitive and adaptive e-health programs.

About the Presenter: Gary L. Kreps (PhD, University of Southern California) is a University Distinguished Professor at George Mason University, where he directs the Center for Health and Risk Communication. His research examines the ways strategic interpersonal, mediated, and digital communication can enhance health promotion, risk prevention, health advocacy, and quality of care, especially for vulnerable populations. His work is published in more than 390 influential books, articles, and chapters. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and has received numerous scholarly awards for his research and service activities. He serves as a scientific advisor to many domestic and international health agencies, foundations, and corporations. He co-directs the Global Advocacy Leadership Academy that promotes development of effective, engaged health advocacy organizations around the world, and coordinates the Fairfax County Health Literacy Initiative community-based collaborative that promotes health for at-risk populations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Before joining the faculty at George Mason University, he served as the founding Chief of the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute, where he helped introduce many important health communication research initiatives, including the Health Information National Trends Survey, the Centers of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research, the Health Communication Interventions Research Program, and the Digital Divide Pilot Program.