Anyun Chatterjee: Creating and Studying Media to Reflect the Full Spectrum of Social Justice

PhD Media and Communication

Anyun is a social scientist focusing on communication interventions in public health, political, and science education settings. Their ongoing professional experience as a researcher at academic hospitals and public health centers—including Temple University’s College of Public Health and, most recently, PolicyLab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia—has inspired them to study ways of improving audience receptivity to mass communication efforts. Anyun is also a passionate educator, having taught courses ranging from biostatistics to an honors seminar exploring horror comic books.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is your degree program, and can you briefly describe the chain of events that led you to graduate school at Temple?

I'm pursuing a PhD in communication. I have a bachelor's in biochemistry, and I started in biotech after college—working in a sub-basement with yeast for a while, doing things that, in the long term, were pretty interesting but ultimately not fulfilling, even though the pay was good. I considered getting involved in politics, so I moved to DC and worked in the federal government for a bit. While doing that, I earned a Master of Public Health. I later moved back to Ohio to be close to my parents and worked for a county health department in rural Ohio. That was a great experience, but it was also a very under-resourced area.

Parallel to all this, my wife started pursuing her graduate degree in Manhattan. I wanted to be closer to her but didn’t want to pay Manhattan prices, so I moved to Philadelphia. That’s how I got involved with Temple’s College of Public Health—my background was a good fit for a couple of research labs. While working there, I started taking classes for free using staff tuition remission. One thing led to another, and I found the Communication department.

Why did you pursue graduate study in Philadelphia? What do you enjoy about studying in the city?

I’ve lived in a few different cities—Berkeley, DC, Cleveland, and a couple places in India. Philadelphia reminds me of some of the places in India where I grew up, where multiple historical and cultural layers coexist. You find people who are very analog and low-tech, as well as early adopters and innovators. Philly also has this great sense of grit. It’s a big city with a lot going on, but it still feels like the kind of place where you can walk around and build meaningful community. I live in West Philadelphia right now, and I just love it. It feels warm and artistic—there’s always a new restaurant or coffee shop to explore. It’s a very vibrant place to be.

Can you tell us a little bit about your research?

My dissertation is about heuristics—mental shortcuts we use when making decisions, like gut feelings—and how they impact the way people process health information. For example, when a health department tells people to get vaccinated or exercise more, what kinds of gut feelings emerge that influence whether they listen or not? I used to work for a health department and was fascinated by why people wouldn’t take my advice.

I also study the rhetoric used by health departments and political institutions to persuade people—through printed materials, videos, or social media. My research agenda centers on whether or not institutions are persuasive, and why. It’s fascinating to me because people make meaning and decisions together. Once you dive in, it becomes a really deep area of study.

Can you tell us more about what you like about Temple?

I’ve been lucky to make a few great friends here—we hang out socially, go to H-Mart, get hotpot, or hit a bar. Typical PhD cohort activities. The faculty are also very collegial—it never feels hierarchical. I’ve even grabbed drinks with my advisor and just chatted. Some faculty come to grad student events, which helps create a great atmosphere.

When I started working at the College of Public Health, I was struck by how down-to-earth and warm everyone was. That definitely influenced my decision to stay for grad school. When I applied, Temple wasn’t the only place I got into, but I already felt like part of the Temple community.

What kind of impact do you hope your work will have?

I’m a pure researcher in that I don’t think about impact in terms of making a big name for myself or landing a prestigious position. I’m just really interested in the specific topics I study—information processing and rhetoric—and I want to explain them a little better than those before me. Science is about building on prior work, and I hope someone will build on what I do.

What specific challenges has being in grad school made you face?

Understanding that school and my job aren’t everything. I’m married, and that’s very important to me. I’ve realized that I could give everything to publishing and teaching and maybe have great career prospects, but my academic life isn’t everything. I have a wife and a cat I want to spend time with. Learning when to step back and prioritize my personal life has been a major lesson. My wife is a nurse practitioner, and she shares this perspective on work-life balance.

Do you have any mentors or people you look up to?

My advisor, Dr. Bruce Hardy, is great. He gives me useful guidance every time we meet. He also plays in a rock band, and I’ve gone to a few of his shows. I really admire that he finds time to be an artist and enjoy life while still doing important research and teaching well.

My committee members, Dr. Meghnaa Tallapragada and Dr. Heather LaMarre, were incredibly helpful during my comprehensive exams—I always leave meetings with them full of new ideas. Dr. Logan Molyneux has helped me become a better teacher and often provides thoughtful responses to my questions about life and pedagogy. Ali Castellini and Steve Butler, whom I’ve TA’d for, have been very kind and helpful, too.

Honestly, I could name a dozen more people at Temple who’ve supported me. This university just seems to attract grounded, kind people.

What is one piece of advice you’d offer to a potential graduate student?

Have a precise reason for why you want to do it. A lot of people go to grad school because they’re good at school and want to stay in it, or because they’re trying to figure out what’s next. But having a clear purpose gives you a sense of urgency and direction. The return on investment of a PhD isn’t great financially these days, so make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.