Q&A with Dr. Mieka Smart and Caitlin Heenan, Current R2D2 Scholar

Q&A with Dr. Mieka Smart and Victoria Bright, Current R2D2 Scholar

Heba Basha is interested in disparities in reproductive health among Arab Americans (i.e., Americans of Middle Eastern and North African descent). 

Research Mentor: Todd Lucas, PhD.

Olivia Hobson is broadly interested in the long-term cognitive effects of the Flint Water Crisis but specifically would like to examine the prevalence of aggression among exposed children. 

Research Mentor: Julia Felton, PhD.

Adjoa Kusi-Appiah is interested in prison health and the racial and ethnic disparities within the incarcerated U.S. population. She specifically would like to investigate the relationship between disparities in incarceration rates and the potential role of these disparities in health outcomes in predominantly minority communities. 

Research Mentor: Jennifer Johnson, PhD.

Hyon (Eunice) Lee is interested in mental health disparities among those who are deaf or hard of hearing or have experienced hearing loss. She is exploring if implicit biases toward the deaf and hard of hearing community from health providers affect the mental health outcomes in this community. Lee is focused on the causes of and differences in mental health issues in this population.

Research Mentor: Amanda Woodward, PhD.

Jaslyn Morris is broadly interested in the psychosocial factors contributing to disparities in Black men’s health. Her project focus relates to how manhood, realized by masculinity, impacts health help-seeking behaviors in Black men. 

Research Mentor: Todd Lucas, PhD.

Ada Pariser is broadly interested in the intersectionality of female gender, migrant status, and rural health with specific intentions to investigate the nutritional health status of women migrant workers in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. 

Research Mentor: Jean Kerver, PhD.

Raisa Yewah is interested in examining the psychosocial factors contributing to childhood obesity. She is interested in multilevel strategies to understand and reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity, drawing on the socioecological model to define relevant upstream factors. She is broadly focusing on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and exploring whether there are race-specific ACEs that contribute to childhood obesity in African American and Hispanic children. 

Research Mentor: Julia Felton, PhD.