PhD Candidate

Biography

Emily is a PhD Candidate in Communication and a co-managing editor for the Sex and Pyschology blog and podcast. Prior to her current program, Emily earned her BA in Business Analytics at Binghamton University and her MA in Communication at Baylor University.

Emily's research is concerned with topics relevant to interpersonal communication, health, and mediated communication technologies. She particularly interested in the myraid ways communication technolgies affect our intimate lives, especially as it relates to the exchange of sexual consent and our participation within different online spaces. 

Her published work can be found in avenues such as New Media & Society, Social Media + Society, Health Communication, and The International Journal of Cultural Studies.

Research Interests

mediated relationships, health communication, sex communication, interpersonal communication, critical theory, technology

Education

M.A., Communication, Baylor University

B.S., Business Analytics, Binghamton University

Grants

The Love Consortium, Graduate Student Research Grant, "A narrative analysis of expressions of love and gratitude in the United States, China, and Chile."

Awards and Honors

Donald P. Cushman Memorial Award (2024), National Communication Association 
For the paper Disclosure-related social support and reappraisals as a result of sharing abortion experiences with close others.

Illinois Distinguished Fellowship, University of Illinois Graduate College

Courses Taught

Instructor of Record

   CMN 111: Oral and Written Communication I

   CMN 112: Oral and Written Communication II

   CMN 210: Public Communication in Everyday Life

   CMN 338: Relationships and Technologies

Faculty Extender

   CMN 502: Health Communication Research Methods I

   CMN 503: Health Communication Research Methods II

Additional Campus Affiliations

Illinois Writers Workshop

Highlighted Publications

Mendelson, E. A. (2024). Sensemaking and public intimacy on TikTok: How viral videos influence interpersonal relationships offline. New Media & Society, 26(12), 7081–7099. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231163231*

Recent Publications

Thompson, C. M., Bishop, M. J., Dillard, T. C., Maurice, J. M., Rollins, D. D., Pulido, M. D., Salas, M. J., Mendelson, E. A., Yan, J., Gerlikovski, E. R., Benevento, S. V., Zeinstra, C., & Kesavadas, T. (2025). Healing health care disparities: Development and pilot testing of a virtual reality implicit bias training module for physicians in the context of Black maternal health. Health Communication, 40(3), 445–456. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2347000

Smith, J. K., & Mendelson, E. A. (2024). Parasocial parenting, adoption, and monetization of the “internet parent” with the Griswolds on TikTok. International Journal of Cultural Studies, OnlineFirst. https://doi.org/10.1177/13678779241288619

Mendelson, E. A., & Smith, J. K. (2024). Mediated sexual and romantic learning on TikTok: The dating wrapped trend. Social Media + Society, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241279255

Blog Posts on Sex and Psychology

Mendelson, E. (2025, January 22). The state of sex education in the USA in 2025. Sex and Psychology. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2025/1/22/the-state-of-sex-education-in-the-usa-in-2025/

Mendelson, E. (2024, December 18). The technological aspects of sexting. Sex and Psychology. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2024/12/18/the-technological-aspects-of-sexting/

Mendelson, E. (2024, November 13). The rise of sexual choking among young adults. Sex and Psychology. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2024/11/13/the-rise-of-sexual-choking-among-young-adults/

Mendelson, E. (2024, October 16). Can drugs and medications be transferred through semen? Sex and Psychology. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2024/10/16/can-drugs-and-medications-be-transferred-through-semen/

Mendelson, E. (2024, August 29). What do camsite users learn about sexual consent? Sex and Psychology. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2024/8/29/what-do-camsite-users-learn-about-sexual-consent/