Assistant Professor Area Chair, Interpersonal, Intergroup & Health Communication Contact Info soroyajmcfarlane@uga.edu Office: 602 Caldwell Hall Office Hours: Students: In office (Zoom upon request) Schedule a meeting: https://calendar.app.google/nf3qSzyfrptCiNNR6 CONCHUS Lab (research-related) Schedule a meeting: https://calendly.com/soroyajulian/30min Soroya Julian McFarlane (Ph.D., University of Miami) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on designing and evaluating communication interventions that address health disparities at the community level. Dr. McFarlane’s research agenda is driven by understanding how culture influences health, and how communication interventions that translate science for diverse populations might be effective in reducing health disparities. Her recent research has been on women’s sexual and reproductive health, with the aim of (1) expanding theoretical understanding of culturally-targeted messaging and interventions, and (2) understanding the impact of media, innovation and participatory approaches. She also leads and collaborates with US-based researchers in the area of clinical trial communication, with a special focus on vulnerable and minority populations. Dr. McFarlane is the PI of the COmmunicatioN for Community Health and (shared) Understanding of Science (CONCHUS) lab, which facilitates dialogue with underserved communities to design and evaluate interventions that promote health. Her research has been published in major communication and public health journals including: Health Communication, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research; Culture, Sexuality and Health; and Journal of Medical Internet Research: Public Health and Surveillance. You can learn more about Dr. McFarlane's CONCHUS Lab here. Before joining as faculty at UGA, Dr. McFarlane was a practitioner in health communication and worked for government, NGOs and international organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). She speaks Spanish as a second language. Other Affiliations: The CONCHUS Lab Research Research Interests: health disparities; health communication; message design, community engaged research; campaigns and interventions - design and evaluation; clinical trials; new biomedical preventive technologies Selected Publications Selected Publications: 1. McFarlane, S.J., Leach, C., Williamson, L., Hull, S., Magsamen-Conrad, K., Wilkin, H., Sastry, S. (2025). Dialogue on Difference: Invisible Bridges and Barriers of Community-Engaged Research. Communication Monographs. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2025.2475819 2. McFarlane, S.J., Callands, T., Francis, D., Swartzendruber, A, Divya S.* (2025) Feasibility and Acceptability of an Online Childbirth Education Intervention for Black birthing people and their companions: A Mixed-methods Evaluation. Healthcare. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101106 3. McFarlane, S.J., Wright, K., Acheampong, B.*, Francis, D., Swartzendruber, A., Callands, T., Adesina, O.* (2024). Reframing the experience of childbirth: Black doula communication strategies and client responses during delivery hospitalization. Social Science and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116981 4. McFarlane, S.J., Yook, B., Wicke, R.* (2023). Knowledge Gaps, Cognition and Media Learning: Designing Tailored Messages to Address COVID-19 Communication Inequalities. Journal of Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2023.2208049 5. McFarlane, S.J., Morgan, S.E., Carcioppolo, N. (2022). Lessons Learned from the "Goodie Box": A Message Design Study Developed and Evaluated in Community Settings for Cervical Cancer Prevention. Frontiers in Oncology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.935704 6. Wright, K., McFarlane, S.J., Francis, D. (2022). When race and agency collide: Examining pregnant Black women’s experiences in healthcare. Journal of Applied Communication Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2022.2083431 7. McFarlane, S.J., Occa A., Peng, W., Awonuga, O*. & Morgan, S.E. (2022). Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) to Enhance Participation of Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Clinical Trials: A 10-year Systematic Review. Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1943978 Courses Regularly Taught: COMM 4620 COMM 4800 COMM 8550 Curriculum Vitae: SJM-CV2025 Web.pdf (315.09 KB) Grants: ❖ NIH AIM-AHEAD Program for AI Readiness (PAIR) SJ McFarlane (PI) May 2025 - April 2026 Co-PI: Dr. Ishtiaque Fazlul, PhD, College of Public Health, UGA Topic: THRIVE AI: Community-Engaged AI for Health (US$99,337) ❖ Northeast Georgia Health System SJ McFarlane (PI) Feb - Dec 2025 Partners: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB); Hope for Georgia Moms Topic: Interactive Digital Game for Doula Hospital Integration & Awareness Project (US$15,000)
