Carol L. Shirley, MA

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Student

Teaching Assistant and Graduate Peer Educator
Carol Shirley Photo

Education & Affiliations

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Communication Studies (dual foci in media production and interpersonal and organizational communication)
Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication specializing in visual communication with a focus in health communication
Co-chair of Membership and Communication Committee, The Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury and Research
National Association for Doctors of Public Health (member)
American Public Health Association (member)

Biography

Carol is the public health communication specialist at the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. In her role at UNC IPRC, Carol supports numerous projects including NC Vision Zero in partnership with the governor’s Highway Safety Program, CORE-NC Opioid Settlement Dashboards, UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab media relations, Building Trauma Informed Courts training program for the NC Administrative Office of the Courts, Injury Free NC Harm Reduction Academy, designing the NC Firearm Safety Teams manual, and contributing to a partnership with the NC Violence and Injury branch of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. She also manages the Center’s communication platforms as well as its media relations, public relations, marketing communication, and organizational communication.

Carol has over 15 years’ experience in marketing and communications in higher education, primarily in health sciences while advancing through communications specialist, assistant director of communications, director of marketing, and director of marketing and communications positions before transitioning into her current public health communications role.

Research Areas

  • Health Communication
  • Misinformation/Disinformation
  • Health Education/Health Literacy
  • Community-Based Participatory Research
  • Social Determinants of Health
  • Health Disparities
  • Media Effects

Honors & Awards

  • 2024 - I.N.T.E.R.A.C.T. Poster Co-author (Program to reduce adolescent depression and anxiety): APHA Annual Conference, Tulane Delta Omega Poster Competition, and Tulane Research, Innovation, & Creativity Summit
  • 2017 - Cover Image at the Smithsonian Institute for an Artificial Intelligence in Health Education Installation
  • 2017 - Hermes Creative Awards, Honorable Mention
  • 2017 - Telly Awards, Bronze Award