Sandi Smith

Sandi W. Smith is the former Director of the Health and Risk Communication Center and University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University where she teaches courses in persuasion, communication theory, and interpersonal communication.

Dr. Smith’s research focuses on interpersonal communication and campaigns in health contexts.  She studies the impact of social norms, memorable messages, and social support on health behaviors.  Some important health contexts of interest include organ donation, college student alcohol consumption, breast cancer prevention, and improvement of the probation/parole process with a focus on interpersonal communication between the agent and client.

Her research has appeared in journals such as Communication Monographs, Human Communication Research, Health Communication, the Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Communication, and the Journal of Applied Communication Research, among others.

She is active in the International Communication Association where she served as Chair of the Interpersonal Communication Division and was a member of the Board of Directors.

She has received honors for her teaching and research from student groups, professional associations, and the universities at which she has worked. In 2012 she was named a Fellow of the International Communication Association, and in 2017 she was honored as a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University. Sandi received her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California.

Courses

• Communication 325: Persuasion and Conflict Management
• Communication 820: Communication Theory
• Communication 922: Seminar in Interpersonal Communication

Health communication, interpersonal communication, and social influence.

Research Centers and Labs

Health and Risk Communication Center