MARIAH L. WELLMAN
Mariah (she/her) is a researcher of technology, social media influencers, and the wellness industry.
She is currently an assistant professor in the
Department of Communication at the
University of Illinois at Chicago.
Mariah is a researcher and scholar of technology, social media influencers, and the wellness industry. Her dissertation research explored how social media influencers build and maintain credibility as they share narratives of personal health and wellness. She has ongoing projects exploring multi-level marketing consultants' social media communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and interviewing breast cancer "previvors" - women who are genetically predisposed to breast cancer - about how they use social media platforms to build community and share health information. Mariah is finalizing a project in collaboration with the Department of Surgery exploring the language use and preferences of those who have experienced stigma and discrimination related to substance use disorder. She has published work in New Media & Society, Journal of Media Ethics, Rhetoric of Health & Medicine, Feminist Media Studies, and Social Media + Society.
Mariah teaches two courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago: one on the rhetoric of wellness on social media and another on digital influencers. Previously, she worked as the instructor of record for eight courses within the Department of Communication at the University of Utah including Writing for Strategic Communication, Introduction to News Writing, Digital Journalism, Introduction to Photoshop, and Constructing Journalism. Constructing Journalism was designed and implemented by Mariah while she served as a University Teaching Assistant Fellow during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Mariah is currently located in Chicago, Illinois. She spends most of her free time exploring neighborhoods around the city with her fiance, Allison, and their 5-year-old retriever/collie mix, Wyatt, and 2-year-old golden retriever, Goose. She is an avid yogi, teaching yoga classes at local studios and online. She also enjoys spending time with her friends, perfecting her grandmother's chocolate chip cookie recipe (although they'll never taste as good), and traveling. Feel free to reach out at any time by email (mwellman@uic.edu) or connect on Twitter (@mariahlwellman).
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
AUG 2022 - Present
Mariah is an assistant professor of communication in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She teaches undergraduate courses connected to her research areas including the rhetoric of wellness on social media and digital influencers.
AUG 2018 - MAY 2022
Mariah earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Communication at the University of Utah. She instructed undergraduate courses in the digital media and journalism track and was a 2019-2020 University Teaching Assistant Fellow with the University of Utah Graduate College.
AUG 2016 - MAY 2018
Mariah earned her M.A. in journalism and mass communication at the University of Iowa. She taught Introduction to Multimedia Storytelling, a co-requisite course alongside News Reporting and Writing. Students learned relevant software skills like Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and Audacity, and hardware like Canon 60D cameras, H4N audio recorders, and LAV mics.
NOV 2015 - MAR 2016
For 1.5 years Mariah served as an arts/culture reporter for The Des Moines Register, the largest paper in the state of Iowa. She wrote features related to arts and culture, interviewing celebrities and musicians like Kristin Chenoweth and others.
EDUCATION
2022 / MAY
The University of Utah
Doctor of Philosophy. in Communication at the University of Utah. Research interests included social media, influence(rs), and health.
2018 / MAY
The University of Iowa
Master of Arts in journalism and mass communication. Research interests included social media, influencers, labor, and authenticity.
2015 / DECEMBER
Iowa State University
Bachelor of Science in journalism and mass communication. Mariah earned a minor in apparel merchandising and a specialization in dietetics.
Cum Laude.