Madison Hunt ( She/Her )

Graduate Student in Neuroscience at Carleton University

Madison Hunt is a graduate student in the Neuroscience program at Carleton University. Her research focuses on how young adults understand, interpret, and communicate about vulnerable topics such as cannabis use and mental health. She is particularly interested in how real-world language, social media discourse, and lived experiences can inform more effective, relatable, and impactful public health messaging. By examining how people naturally talk about these topics, she aims to better align evidence-based communication with the ways individuals actually seek, share, and engage with health information.

Madison’s work is grounded in making scientific and public health information accessible, clear, and judgment-free. She is committed to supporting informed decision-making by reducing stigma and ensuring that conversations around substance use and mental health feel approachable rather than exclusionary. Through both academic research and community-facing initiatives, she aims to foster environments where open, respectful, and honest dialogue can take place.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles are embedded throughout Madison’s approach to research and knowledge translation. She prioritizes considering diverse lived experiences and recognizes that health communication is not experienced equally across all groups. In practice, this means being attentive to how identity, culture, and structural barriers influence how people access, interpret, and trust health information. Madison strives to ensure her work reflects these differences so that messaging is not only evidence-based, but also inclusive, culturally responsive, and relevant to a broad range of audiences.