Prudence Mbah

Biography:

Prudence is a doctoral candidate in Communication at Purdue University’s Brian Lamb School of Communication, concurrently earning a Master of Public Health. With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Nigeria and a Master of Science in Communication from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, she brings a diverse academic background to her studies. Prior to her academic pursuits, Prudence gained valuable experience in the non-profit sector, working for both international NGOs and a clinical research organization. As Community Engagement Officer at a Clinical Research Center in Abuja, Nigeria, she conducted health education and community outreach for vaccine trials, notably contributing to Ebola vaccine trials by coordinating the Community Advisory Board.

Research and Teaching:

Prudence is a researcher focused on preventing infectious diseases and promoting health behavior change among conflict-affected populations. Her research specifically examines how repeated exposure to health messages during simultaneous outbreaks and post-conflict periods can impact message effectiveness. Employing a mixed-method approach, she investigates the phenomenon of desensitization in this context.

Prudence's research experience includes contributions to multiple USAID-funded projects at the Purdue Peace Research Institute (PPRI) and involvement in designing communication strategies for the CDC-funded Indiana Healthy Opportunities for People Everyone. She has taught courses in audio production, fundamentals of speech, television production, and interview techniques. She will be teaching science communication in the Fall 2024 semester.