Dan Totzkay

Biography

Dan Totzkay (Ph.D., Michigan State University) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware. He researches and teaches strategic health communication message design, with special interest in using communication theory and research methods to better understand how different groups of people make decisions to promote their health--and the public good more generally. He aims to leverage that understanding to promote effective communication by influential communicators, such as health professionals and community champions.

Totzkay teaches courses in Public Relations, where he brings his experience working with government and nonprofit organizations to design and evaluate strategic communication products to activate important audiences for prosocial benefit.

Totzkay's work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the West Virginia Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His translational work resulted in he and his collaborators being awarded the Civilian Service Commendation Medal from the U.S. Department of the Army.