“It all goes back to trust”: A qualitative exploration of extension professionals’ perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines in rural Florida

Dr. Irani is a Professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and works within the PIE Center. She is a nationally recognized social scientist in the areas of public understanding of science and technology, crisis and risk communication, and public opinion issues analysis. Dr. Irani’s research looking at public response to issues of importance in agricultural and natural resource contexts has been featured nationally and led to initial development of the PIE Center.

Additionally, Dr. Irani’s research explores how public opinion and strategic communication influence attitudes and behavior on controversial science and technology issues. She developed the UF Critical Thinking Inventory (UF-CTI) to measure critical thinking and applies message framing to models like the Elaboration Likelihood Model and Theory of Planned Behavior. Her work focuses on decision-making, critical thinking, and strategic communications, particularly in agricultural and environmental settings.

Anissa Mattox is a PIE Center research coordinator and supports the data analyst and report-writing functions of the PIE Center. Additionally, she assists with data collection, instrument development, program evaluation, and academic writing. Anissa received her master’s degree from the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education from Kansas State University in May 2019 and joined the PIE Center in April 2021. Before joining the PIE Center, Anissa worked as the research and marketing specialist for the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement.

As an operations specialist for the PIE Center, Aly Morrison focuses on coordinating meeting, managing projects, and handling logistics. She also assists with special event planning and administrative support. Aly is a double gator with a background in animal sciences, agricultural communications, and graphic design. Aly joined the PIE Center in 2021 as a student intern and has since gained valuable experience in communications, operations, and coordination.

Angela B. Lindsey is an associate professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences working within the PIE Center. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida in May 2013. Prior to her current position, Lindsey was a post-doctoral associate with the PIE Center, serving as the community outreach and dissemination core manager for the Healthy Gulf, Healthy Communities project. She currently serves as a point of contact for the Florida Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN).

Research projects:

• Disaster Response and Recovery Mental Health Workshops
• Ecological and Economic Impacts of Land Use and Climate Change on Coastal Food Webs and Fisheries
• Assessment of the Short- and Long-Term Socioeconomic Impacts of Florida’s 2017-2019 Red Tide Event
• Public Opinions of Community Resilience & Disaster Preparedness
• Healthy Gulf, Healthy Communities

Caroline is a Ph.D. student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. At the PIE Center, she works on projects in outreach and education.

Karlibeth is a master’s student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. At the PIE Center, she works on projects in outreach and extension.

Naik is a visiting scholar from Pakistan. He works on quantitative and qualitative research projects with the PIE Center.

Cheng-xian is a PhD student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. He is a student researcher with the PIE Center.

Meredith is a master’s student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. She is a student researcher with the PIE Center.

Michaela is responsible for the communication efforts of the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement, and contributes to the center’s podcast, Science by the Slice. Michaela is a recent double gator, holding a BS in Food and Resource Economics, and a MS in Agricultural Education and Communication. Michaela first joined the PIE Center as a student worker in 2018 and has gained many valuable skills and experiences

Ashley is responsible for the communication efforts of the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, a multi-institutional center with several members of the outreach team located in the PIE Center. Ashley graduated from the University of Florida with a M.S. in agricultural education and communication and recently earned a PhD specializing in agricultural communication. Ashley joined the PIE Center as a full-time staff member in May 2016, but gained valuable experience at the PIE Center while working as a media assistant during her undergraduate experience.

Ricky Telg is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication and the Director of the Center for Public Issues Education. He previously worked as a television reporter, newspaper reporter and editor, and video producer for Texas A&M University’s Department of Agricultural Communications. He also taught journalism and broadcast production at Texas A&M. Ricky is faculty adviser for the UF/Agricultural Communicators and Leaders of Tomorrow and served as the faculty adviser for the National ACT organization for five years. He received Teacher of the Year honors in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1997 and 2011, and CALS Advisor of the Year in 2000 and 2014. Ricky is also an active member of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences.

His research interests include agricultural communication (television/video production, print media, and media relations) and distance education (instructional design, instructional media).

Research projects:

• Consumer awareness & opinions of technologies to combat citrus greening
• Florida Cattlewomen’s Association membership survey
• Public opinions of endangered & invasive species

Sandra is a PIE Center research coordinator and heavily supports the data analysis and report-writing functions of the center. She also assists with instrument design, data collection, program evaluation and academic writing. Sandra received her B.S. in Food and Resource Economics with a concentration in Agricultural Business Management and her M.S. in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics both from IFAS at the University of Florida. Sandra joined the PIE Center in summer 2014. Prior to her current position Sandra gained 20 years of experience with social, economic and market research in her position as a Market Research Director at a marketing research firm.

Research projects:

• Public opinions of community resilience & disaster preparedness
• Public opinions of endangered & invasive species
• Public perceptions of Kansas State University research, extension
• Public opinions of animal welfare

Lauri M. Baker is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication with a research appointment (65%) with the Center for Public Issues Education. She previously worked at Kansas State University for eight years where she earned tenure and co-founded the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement (CREE). She continues her work with CREE and integrates her research and extension work with both PIE Center and CREE. Baker earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University in 2003. Following her graduation, she served as Vice President and Director of Communication for the Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association. After four years in the industry, Baker returned to school to pursue her master’s and Ph.D. in agricultural communication from the University of Florida in 2009 and 2011, respectively.

Her research interests include new-media technologies, communication preferences and impact on local economies, online technology for economic development, marketing through new and social media, strategic communication and audience analysis, Extension communication, and climate change and disaster communication.