Leonard Wang and Manjushree Shanmugasundaram are partnering with Teen Health Center, Inc. to deliver a theory-based, evidence informed nicotine prevention program that engages youth in discussions around vaping through the use of motivational interviewing and dissonance-enhancing techniques. Ultimately, the project aims to increase student knowledge of tobacco/nicotine products and awareness of strategies used by manufacturers to engage adolescent consumers and improve their vaping refusal skills.

Jasmine Chaij and Yara Samman: This project is intended to serve the migrant community of the Greater Houston Area and tackle the main obstacles that the migrant population have in receiving primary care and ensure they establish a relationship with the HOPE clinic.

Madeline Bonnet and Sheldon McCown are addressing mental and physical disabilities in Galveston by working with Camp PossAbilities in collaboration with the Christina Sullivan Foundation. They are working with student volunteers to train them on how to create adaptive equipment as well as creating relationships with the athletes by cooking with them each week. The goal is to increase physical health through sports participation and healthy cooking while simultaneously helping the participants become more confident and independent.

Celebration of the graduation of the 2021-2023 Cohort

Dr. Denny Fe Agana, Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and MPH Program Director and Dr. Sadaf Milani, Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in SPPH.

Scholars in Education is:

• 20-month interdisciplinary faculty development program
• Monthly, 3-hour active learning workshops
• conducting educational research,
• designing innovative curriculum, and
• applying evidence-based teaching methods
• Participation in a community of practice with academic peers at UTMB
• Dissemination of scholarship at UTMB Biennial Scholars in Education Symposium