Kenneth J Ruggiero

Kenneth J Ruggiero, PhD, is a Professor and SmartState Endowed Chair at the SmartState Technology Application Center for Healthful Lifestyles (TACHL) within the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina. He also directs the Telehealth Resilience and Recovery Program. His research focuses on technology-enhanced interventions for mental health, including stepped-care approaches for PTSD and depression in disaster survivors and trauma patients. He has secured continuous NIH funding since 2001, leading multiple grants and co-funding others. Notably, he developed the Bounce Back Now mobile app for disaster survivors and the TRRP program in trauma centers. Dr. Ruggiero has over 175 publications and 225 presentations, many mentored by former trainees.

Education:

• BA, State University of New York at Buffalo
• MA and PhD, West Virginia University
• Internship and NIMH Postdoc, MUSC

Research Interests: Dr. Ruggiero’s work emphasizes scalable mental health solutions using technology. He develops tablet-based tools for child mental health and evaluates telehealth models. His research includes:

• Smartphone interventions for trauma survivors
• Stepped-care systems in trauma centers
• Telehealth for ICU healthcare workers
• Body image distress in cancer survivors

Awards:

• 2017 MUSC Population Health Award

Grants & Mentoring: As PI, he leads NIH, VA, and DHS grants. He mentors junior faculty and trainees through T32, F32, and career development awards. His programs engage over 8,000 trauma patients and are expanding across the Carolinas.

Labs/Teams: Directs TACHL and TRRP, collaborating with the American Red Cross and trauma centers. His work bridges clinical care and technology to address access barriers in mental health.