Faculty Profile for Dr. Manu Pokharel

profile photo for Dr. Manu Pokharel
Dr. Manu Pokharel
Assistant Professor — Department of Communication Studies
Centennial Hall 313
phone: (512) 245-2165
Scholarly/Creative Work

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Pokharel holds a B.S. in Nursing from the Purwanchal University, Nepal; an M.S. in Health Promotion and education and a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Utah.

Dr. Pokharel's research focuses on the strategic communication of health information to the public. She utilizes foundational approaches to strategic communication—audience segmentation/targeting and message development/testing—to engage pressing issues in health communication. Her primary research program investigates the persuasive impact of visual message features on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in the context of cancer prevention and control.

She has published several articles within and outside the discipline, in journals such as the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Health Communication, Risk Analysis, and Journal of Dermatological Science.

You can learn more about her work at www.manupokharel.com

Teaching Interests

Empirical research methods, Health Communication

Research Interests

Health Communication, Cancer Communication, Visuals, Emotion, Skin Cancer, Health Campaigns

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Jensen, J. D., Pokharel, M., Carcioppolo, N., Upshaw, S., John, K. K., & Katz, R. A. (2019). Cancer information overload: Discriminant validity and relationship to sun safe behaviors. Patient Education and Counseling.
  • Pokharel, M., Christy, K. R., Jensen, J. D., Giorgi, E. A., John, K. K., & Wu, Y. P. (2019). Do ultraviolet photos increase sun safe behavior expectations via fear? A randomized controlled trial in a sample of US adults. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 42(3), 401--422.
  • Pokharel, M., Elrick, A., Canary, H. E., Clayton, M. F., Sukovic, M., Champine, M., … Kaphingst, K. A. (2019). Health communication roles in Latino, Pacific Islander, and Caucasian Families: A qualitative investigation. Journal of Genetic Counseling.
  • John, K. K., Jensen, J. D., King, A. J., Pokharel, M., & Grossman, D. (2018). Emerging applications of eye-tracking technology in dermatology. Journal of Dermatological Science, 91(2), 117--123.
  • Jensen, J. D., Pokharel, M., Scherr, C. L., King, A. J., Brown, N., & Jones, C. (2017). Communicating uncertain science to the public: How amount and source of uncertainty impact fatalism, backlash, and overload. Risk Analysis, 37(1), 40--51.