Kasisomayajula Viswanath

Kasisomayajula "Vish" Viswanath, the Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has revolutionized understanding of health communication and its impact on public health disparities. After earning his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1990, he has built an extraordinary career spanning research, policy, and practice. As Faculty Director of the Health Communication Core at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Director of Harvard Chan's India Research Center, he leads groundbreaking research on communication inequalities and health disparities. His work encompasses over 280 journal articles and book chapters, focusing on translational communication science, public health policy, and health interventions for underserved populations. He has co-edited four influential books, including "Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research & Practice" and "The Role of Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use." His contributions have earned numerous accolades, including the Joseph W. Cullen Memorial Award, the Dale Brashers Distinguished Mentorship Award, and election as Fellow of the International Communication Association. Through his leadership of the Enhancing Communications for Health Outcomes Laboratory and the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Viswanath continues to shape global understanding of how communication influences health outcomes and social equity.