UNC Hussman students experiencing financial challenges due to Hurricane Helene may apply for special funding from the school's John B. Adams Emergency Fund. Learn more details and apply.

Faculty

Francesca Renee Dillman Carpentier

W. Horace Carter Distinguished Professor

Carroll 327

Office hours: By appointment

francesca@unc.edu

Francesca R. Dillman Carpentier is the W. Horace Carter Distinguished Professor at UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Carpentier has taught a number of courses for the school, most recently behavioral science in health communication, a seminar in media effects and media psychology, and statistics for social sciences.

Much of Carpentier’s research focuses on how different parts of a media message can slip under our radar and affect our thoughts, beliefs and actions in small but significant ways, often without our express knowledge. Part of this research is learning more about what motivates us to choose certain media content over others, and how the motivations can intensify the effects those choices have on us.

Carpentier’s recent research has been in collaboration with the Carolina Population Center’s Global Food Research Program, where projects have addressed the role of marketing in children’s nutrition and food preferences. Outside of this work, additional projects have focused on the role of media in young adults’ sexual health. These projects have been supported with funding from university, association, federal and philanthropic sources. Publications of the findings from these projects can be found in academic journals across communication, psychology and public health.  

Education