About
Hello
I’m
Rizvan Saeed
I am a social science researcher and storyteller exploring how communication can heal stigma and strengthen human connection. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Health Communication at Ohio University in the United States. My work examines how stigmatized identities, communication, and social norms shape people’s lives – and how empathy, dialogue, and research can contribute to building more inclusive communities.
Guided by this vision, I study stigma, masculinities, gender-stigmatized health conditions, the body, and digital culture – examining how communication, social norms, and power shape both lived and online experiences of vulnerability and belonging. Through my digital storytelling initiative, Dr. Stigma, I translate this research into accessible public dialogue, using stories and reflection to transform silence into empathy, awareness, and social connection. My research also extends to digital politics, online violent extremism, and the circulation of mis/disinformation, supported by analyses of big data, social networks, and natural language processing, aiming to inform strategies that counter violent extremism and promote equity, digital literacy, and social cohesion across diverse communities.
I hold a Master of Social Research (Advanced) from the Australian National University (ANU), ranked among the Top 30 universities worldwide, where I specialized in digital and mixed-methods research as an Australia Awards Scholar. I also hold a Master’s degree in Anthropology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, grounding my work in both qualitative insights and behavioral science. I have also been teaching for the past five years, sharing my passion for communication, research, technology, and social change with university students and emerging scholars. Having studied, lived, and worked across Asia, Australia, and North America, I bring a global and deeply diverse perspective to my research and teaching, enriching my understanding of culture, identity, and communication.
Over the past two decades, I have served at the policy, strategic, program development, and project implementation levels, including with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Joint Program (UNFPA, UNICEF & UN Women), where I co-developed national strategic frameworks for preventing gender-based violence and child marriages in Pakistan. I also served as Advisor Research & Coordination with UNFPA, where my work centered on gender mainstreaming, policy design, institutional capacity-building, and interdepartmental coordination to end gender-based violence, promote equity, and social transformation in Pakistan.
As a Behavioral Change Communication Specialist, I have led research and capacity-building initiatives addressing masculinities, gender-based violence, stereotyping, and prejudice through national surveys, in-depth interviews, and experiential workshops with police organizations, media professionals, development practitioners, educational institutions, and local communities. These efforts integrate theory and practice – turning policy into conversation and research into change.
At the heart of my work is a belief that stories can move data into dialogue – and that empathy, when grounded in evidence, can inspire both personal healing and collective transformation. That’s why I move beyond the traditional divide between quantitative and qualitative research, embracing what is called Quantitative Criticalism – an approach that merges numerical insight with critical reflection to understand the human meaning within data.
Interest Areas
Digital Literacy
Misinformation & Online Propaganda
Masculinity & Gender-based Violence
Gender Mainstreaming
Countering Violent Extremism
Social Capital
Prejudice & Stereotyping
Education
Master of Social Research (Advanced), Australian National University, Australia
M.Sc Anthropology, Quaid e Azam University, Pakistan
Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, Pakistan
Certificate in Social Psychology, Wesleyan University, USA
Diploma in Project Management from CASE, Pakistan
Awards
Date
Award/Scholarship Title
Awarding Organization
2023
Judy C. Pearson Graduate Award for outstanding quantitative work in gender and Communication
Ohio University
2023
Paul H. Boase Family Award
Ohio University, USA
2023
Graduate Excellence Award
Ohio University, USA
2018 – 2019
Australia Awards Scholarship for Masters
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia
2017
United States’ International Visitors Leadership Program- IVLP
State Department, USA
2014
Certificate of Appreciation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Pakistan
2012
Best Staff Member Rozan Award
Rozan, Pakistan