Distinguished Medical Humanities Scholar and Health Technology Expert
Kirsten Ostherr serves as the Gladys Louise Fox Professor of English and founding Director of the Medical Humanities Research Institute at Rice University bringing a unique combination of media scholarship and public health expertise to the intersection of healthcare and technology Her academic credentials include a PhD in American Studies from Brown University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health obtained through an Andrew W Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellowship Her research focuses on trust and privacy in digital health ecosystems medical visualization and the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare She has authored significant works including Medical Visions: Producing the Patient Through Film Television and Imaging Technologies and Cinematic Prophylaxis: Globalization and Contagion in the Discourse of World Health As founding Director of both the Medical Humanities program and Medical Futures Lab she leads initiatives connecting Rice University with major medical institutions Her work has been featured in prominent media outlets including NPR The Atlantic and The Washington Post She currently leads the Translational Humanities for Public Health project examining humanities-based pandemic responses worldwide Her expertise extends to human-centered design in health technology development having co-created Medicine in the Digital Age on edX reaching over 25000 global learners Her insights have been shared at prestigious institutions including the White House World Health Organization and National Library of Medicine demonstrating her significant influence in bridging humanities medical education and digital innovation