Emily Pfender

Communication

Emily Pfender

Assistant Professor

epfender@udel.edu

Resources and Links

Google Scholar Citations

Biography

Emily Pfender (Ph.D., University of Delaware) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research examines misinformation in women’s health messaging on social media, with a particular focus on contraception, cycle syncing, and pregnancy. She studies how online health information influences health beliefs and behaviors.

Emily teaches courses in Media Theory, Interpersonal Communication, and Public Speaking, where she helps students develop skills in science communication, public messaging, and the interpersonal dynamics of influencer culture.

Her work has been funded by Wisp Women's Health and gen-well Women's Health to study misinformation surrounding preeclampsia and menopause on social media. Beyond academia, Emily translates her research into accessible public education through social media. She also teaches barre and Pilates on campus.