Robin Butler

Dr. Robin Butler serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public and Allied Health at Morgan State University's School of Community Health & Policy. With over two decades of experience in disinvested communities, she champions inclusivity and community engagement in public health education and research.

Her academic credentials include:

• Graduate degree from University of Maryland Global Campus (2017)
• MBA from Walden University School of Business (2009)
• Degree from University of Baltimore School of Public Affairs (2002)

Dr. Butler's research centers on health informatics and literacy interventions in distressed communities through community-based participatory research (CBPR). Her signature "barbershop health literacy project" trains barbers to disseminate health information, funded by NIH ASCEND and Morgan State University. As an appointed AI/ML member by the University President, she chairs the AI and Community Engagement subcommittee to advance equitable AI practices in public health.

Her publications (2015-2024) address health disparities during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing community-driven solutions through park prescriptions, health information trust, and technology-aided learning in vocational settings.

Dr. Butler has earned competitive recognition:

• Brown University QSMTP Sentio Scholarship (2024-2026)
• AAC&U Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum Award (2024-2025)

She leads significant grant initiatives including Morgan State University's Transformation Morgan grant ($10,000) as Principal Investigator for the barbershop project, NIH CEAL against COVID-19 disparities ($1.2 million), and HRSA Maternal Child Health grant ($50,000), demonstrating sustained success in community-engaged research funding.

Within institutional frameworks, Dr. Butler chairs the AI and Community Engagement subcommittee under the Center for Equitable AI/ML Systems, fostering partnerships between academia and community stakeholders to co-develop trustworthy AI applications.