Dr. Jane Mendle, a Human Development professor and PRYDE-affiliated researcher at Cornell, studies transitions from childhood into adolescence and how different aspects of puberty influence youths’ psychological well-being. While she’s often busy teaching courses, mentoring aspiring psychologists, and conducting data analysis, she also finds time to connect with the media to translate her research into easy-to-read articles for the general public.

Initially, journalists contacted Dr. Mendle when they were covering her published studies to receive additional information. She then developed working relationships with some of those writers, and they have continued to contact her whenever they need to consult her for new articles. Last year Dr. Mendle did a Public Voices Fellowship through the Op Ed Project, an initiative to encourage female academics to write for mainstream media.

Dr. Mendle’s research has been featured in a variety of different platforms, including Time Magazine, Teen Vogue, LA Review of Books, and Reuters. Although her focus is mostly on adolescence, the diversity of media sites that write about her findings illustrate the universal appeal of her work. For instance, in Teen Vogue, she gave seven psychologically-backed tips on how to get over a crush and engaged teens with research in a fun, relatable manner. For Time Magazine, she reflected on the role that Princess Diana played in mental health advocacy by publicly talking about her own struggle with bulimia. By having an active presence on the media, Dr. Mendle is able to simultaneously educate the public while also keeping the topics of psychology and mental health in the national conscience.

When asked about her motivation to do media publications, Dr. Mendle responds by saying, “Academics have so much knowledge and it often tends to get shared only with other academics.  I feel lucky to have the opportunity to share my research, ideas, or knowledge with a broader audience.  Working with publications like Teen Vogue has been especially meaningful, because it's a publication that reaches enormous numbers of adolescents.”

Dr. Mendle’s online articles:

Early Puberty Puts Women at Higher Risk for Heart Disease and Stroke – Research Spotlight//Reuters

Girls’ Early Puberty Tied to Depression, Behavior Problems into Adulthood – Research Spotlight//Reuters

How Princess Diana Changed Lives by Discussing Her Mental Health – Op-Ed//Time Magazine

In Praise of Spectacle – Blog//Los Angeles Review of Books

Seven Tips for How to Get Over a Crush – Consultation//Teen Vogue

What Happens When Young Adult Protagonists Grow Up? – Blog//Los Angeles Review of Books

Why Trump’s Actions Are Making Scientists Nervous – Op-Ed//Teen Vogue

By Esther Kim