Ellen Mertens

Biography

Ellen Mertens holds a master’s degree in Communication Sciences, specializing in communication management. For her master’s thesis she conducted research on the impact of momfluencers' breastfeeding content on their followers. Through her involvement in both her master's thesis and an internship at the research group CEPEC, she fostered a profound interest in conducting research.

In November 2023, Ellen started as a  PhD Researcher at the Department of Communication Sciences, within the CEPEC research group. Her research focuses on the role of momfluencers within the infant feeding journey of first-time mothers. As infant feeding remains one of the most polarizing and emotionally charged topics in motherhood, many mothers increasingly seek guidance and support through social media. Ellen’s research delves into the content shared by momfluencers and investigates how this information is perceived and interpreted by first-time mothers.