A Florida State University School of Communication (SCOM) research team earned international recognition for a paper examining how people navigate health information and risk. 

Authored by Dr. Elizabeth Ray, doctoral candidate Trayana Kaleycheva and Dr. Felicia Jordan Jackson, the study received a Top Paper Award from the International Communication Association’s Public Relations Division. Selected through the division’s peer-review process, the honor places the work among its highest-rated full-paper submissions to the annual conference. ICA is a global academic association dedicated to advancing communication research, with more than 5,000 members in more than 80 countries. 

At the conference in Cape Town, South Africa, Kaleycheva presented the paper and accepted the recognition on behalf of the authors. 

“Presenting at ICA for the first time, in that setting alongside scholars from across the field and from around the world, was an incredible experience” said Kaleycheva. “I also want to emphasize that our study reflects an environment where doctoral students are actively encouraged and supported to engage in rigorous research, publish and present at the field’s leading venues, and collaborate directly with faculty on questions that carry real policy relevance. The fact that our project earned a Top Paper recognition at ICA speaks to the quality of mentorship and the caliber of work the SCOM doctoral program supports.” 

The award-winning project sits at the intersection of strategic health communication, risk perception, and consumer decision-making. The research examines a growing challenge for communicators: how facts and feelings can work together to shape the way people interpret risk and make everyday decisions. Its broader relevance extends to health organizations and communicators responsible for translating complex scientific information for public audiences. 

Ray reflected on the significance of the recognition and the broader purpose behind the project.  

“It is truly an honor to receive this award,” said Ray. “We started with a practical question about how people make sense of health information and risk in everyday life, and the project grew stronger through collaboration. To me, that is where public relations research can really matter, because message design shapes what people notice, trust, and act on. I’m grateful the work resonated, and proud that it reflects faculty and student collaboration.” 

The international award adds to CCI’s record of research addressing real-world communication challenges and advancing scholarships with practical relevance for health organizations and the public.