Feng Yi Chew

Feng Yi Chew studies the mechanisms behind values, attitudes, and behaviors, and how these shape responses to persuasive communications. She is keen on leveraging these insights to inform approaches to behavioral change and craft targeted health-promoting interventions.

Feng Yi Chew is a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication. Prior to enrolling in Annenberg, she led and developed policies relating to infectious diseases prevention and response, in particular vaccine- and vaccination-related strategies, at Singapore’s Ministry of Health.

Chew’s time at the Ministry, especially her first-hand observations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has motivated her to investigate how values, attitudes and preferences are formed, how these may evolve over time, and how they contribute towards shaping individuals’ responses and receptivity to public health messaging. She is also interested in researching the development and proliferation of health-related misinformation, particularly among vulnerable populations, with an eye towards the design and evaluation of mitigating measures.

Chew received her B.A. and M.A. in Political Science at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, where she researched comparative politics in Southeast Asia. Prior to her work in the Ministry, she served in the Singapore Armed Forces as a commissioned officer, before going on to complete a M.P.H. at Harvard University with a concentration in health communication.

As an interdisciplinary scholar with considerable public service experience, Chew intends to engage in translational research at Annenberg to develop evidence-based recommendations that will influence policy and communications initiatives, with the goal of improving health outcomes.