Ghazal Aarabi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Periodontology, Preventive Dentistry and Dental Conservation within the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). She actively participates in clinical research projects and publications focusing on oral-systemic health connections. Researcher in periodontal epidemiology Key contributor to the Hamburg City Health Study (HCHS) Principal investigator in migration health research (MuMi Study) Research Focus spans three main areas: Periodontal-Brain Interactions through inflammatory pathways Oral Health Literacy among migrant populations Oral-Cardiovascular Links in aging populations Selected Publications (2018-2022) demonstrate her work in: Periodontal disease and cerebral microangiopathy Dental care utilization during pandemics Oral health disparities in migration contexts Current Projects include: PAROCARD : Oral health and cardiovascular surrogate markers MuMi : Migrant oral health promotion Cerebral Microangiopathy study in periodontitis patients
Dr. Shufang Sun is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University’s School of Public Health, and Associate Director of the Mindfulness Center. Her work focuses on understanding how stress, trauma, and systemic inequities contribute to health disparities, particularly among marginalized populations like LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, and communities affected by HIV. She develops mindfulness-based, technology-mediated interventions to promote mental health and reduce stigma, with a global focus including China, the Philippines, and Ukraine. Education: PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2018). Research interests include mindfulness interventions, mHealth (mobile health), global mental health, HIV prevention, minority stress, and stigma reduction. Her work emphasizes community-engaged research and rigorous evidence synthesis through meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Current projects include interventions for displaced Ukrainians, suicide prevention in rural China, and HIV prevention among transgender women in the Philippines. Her interventions address topics like queer resilience, pandemic mental health, and health equity for vulnerable groups. Awards include the APA’s Barbara Smith Early Career Award and Brown University’s Early Career Research Achievement Award. Grants: Principal investigator on NIH-funded projects totaling over $7.5M, including a $3M R24 grant for mindfulness evidence synthesis and a $621K NIMH grant for school-based suicide prevention in China. Labs/Teams: Director of the Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab, collaborating with global researchers on stigma reduction and digital health innovations.
Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. His research focuses on mathematical development, assessment systems, and school-based interventions to support student achievement. He has led over 20 federally funded grants totaling ~$55 million, emphasizing early numeracy interventions and multi-tiered instructional models. Clarke’s work bridges theory and practice, with publications on mathematics instruction, assessment, and RTI frameworks. Education: PhD (2002), MA (2001) in School Psychology/Special Education from University of Oregon; BS (1997) in Psychology from Wabash College (Phi Beta Kappa). Research Interests: Mathematics intervention design and efficacy Early numeracy assessment Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) Technology in education Equity in mathematics education Publications highlight his focus on intervention fidelity, tiered models, and outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Awards include the AERA Special Education SIG Research Award and recognition for academic excellence. Grants and Advising: Principal Investigator on ~$55M in federal grants; advises graduate students in School Psychology and Special Education. His lab develops evidence-based tools like the KinderTEK iPad program and contributes to national practice guides (e.g., IES RTI for Mathematics). Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on early mathematics intervention and MTSS implementation, collaborating with schools and policymakers to scale effective practices.
Milos Popovic is a Professor and Director at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, and serves as Senior Scientist and Director of Research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (KITE), University Health Network. He holds the Toronto Rehab Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research and Neural Engineering and co-leads the Centre for Research in Advanced Neural Implant Applications (CRANIA). His leadership spans academic, clinical, and translational research domains in neuroengineering and rehabilitation. His research focuses on neurorehabilitation, neuroprosthetics, functional electrical stimulation (FES), brain-machine interfaces, and assistive technologies . He develops physiological control systems and therapeutic robotics to restore motor function after spinal cord injury and stroke. His work integrates biomechanics, signal processing, and human-machine interfaces to innovate rehabilitative solutions. Dr. Popovic's recent publications emphasize electrical neuromodulation, FES therapy for motor recovery, deep brain stimulation for cognitive deficits, and wearable/implantable technologies . The articles reflect a strong trend toward closed-loop systems, translational research, and interdisciplinary innovation in neuroengineering and rehabilitation. Swiss National Science Foundation Technology Transfer Award - 1st place (1997) Engineering Medal for Research and Development, Professional Engineers of Ontario (2008) Elected to the College of Fellows, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (2011) 1st Prize and Best Intellectual Property Award, TiEQuest Business Venture Competition (2012) Morris (Mickey) Milner Award for Assistive Technologies (2013) University of Toronto Inventor of the Year Award (2013) University Health Network’s Inventor of the Year Award (2015) Dr. Popovic has secured significant research funding and leads the Neural Engineering and Therapeutics team at KITE. He co-founded MyndTec Inc. and the Canadian National Spinal Cord Injury Conference, demonstrating strong mentorship, innovation, and national impact. He advises graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in biomedical engineering and rehabilitation sciences. He leads the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory and the Neural Engineering and Therapeutics Team at KITE, fostering collaboration across engineering, neuroscience, and clinical rehabilitation. His lab develops advanced neurotechnologies with a focus on clinical translation and commercialization.
Dr. Chelsey Holden is an Associate Professor of Child and Family Sciences at the School of Child and Family Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi. She holds licenses as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), with certifications in Telemental Health and National Certification as a Counselor. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Counselor Education (2017) from Mississippi State University, an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy (2013) from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a BS in Human Environmental Sciences (2011) from Troy University. Dr. Holden's research focuses on wellness for helping professionals, college students, and romantic couples, with emphasis on financial wellness, mental-physical health connections, and digital training methods. Her recent work explores imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and telehealth advancements, reflecting interdisciplinary interests in psychology, family systems, and technology. Her publications span journals like Contemporary Family Therapy and Journal of College Student Retention, addressing burnout, resilience, and behavioral dynamics in therapeutic and familial contexts. She teaches courses in counseling ethics, family theories, and marriage therapy, while maintaining affiliations with professional bodies such as the Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Dr. Mbita Mbao is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Salem State University, where she teaches courses including SWK 700 (Human Behavior), SWK 704/705 (Social Work Practice), and aging-focused courses like SWK 871. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes experiential learning and valuing student experiences. Dr. Mbao's research focuses on behavioral health, aging populations, workforce development, and immigrant issues. She actively works to expand aging-related curriculum and services through her involvement with the Older Adults Behavioral Health Network and Salem for All Ages initiative. Her education includes a BSW from Bowling Green State University, MSW from Rhode Island College, and PhD from Simmons University. As a Licensed Clinical Independent Social Worker, she maintains a clinical practice providing in-home therapy to older adults. Honors include: 2025 North Star Collective Fellow 2019 AGESW Pre-Dissertation Fellow 2021 GSA MCDTAW Early Career Diversity Fellow
Dr. Thomas E. Doyle is an Associate Professor at the McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at McMaster University. His research focuses on biomedical signal processing, human-computer interfacing (HCI), and machine learning applications for healthcare augmentation, rehabilitation, and enhancement. He holds a Ph.D. from Western Ontario, Canada, and teaches courses like COMPENG 2DI4 (Logic Design). His work bridges cybernetics and clinical applications, emphasizing AI-driven solutions for medical diagnostics, patient monitoring, and space exploration. Education: B.E.Sc, B.Sc, M.E.Sc, Ph.D. from Western Ontario, Canada Recent Projects: Developed AI systems for remote healthcare diagnostics (2023) Collaborated with NASA on medical emergency simulators for deep space missions (2017–2023) Led ventilator development efforts for local hospitals during the pandemic (2020) His research interests span machine learning for mental health diagnostics, trust quantification in medical AI, and extended reality (XR) for medical training. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating computational methods with healthcare challenges. Recent publications highlight applications in pediatric emergency care, chronic pain management, and reliable medical device design. Dr. Doyle actively engages in educational initiatives, including first-year engineering pedagogy and experiential learning programs. He has received funding for projects such as the Educating the Engineer of 2025 (EtE-25) awards and contributes to initiatives like the Digital & Smart Systems and Health & Bio-innovation research clusters at McMaster.
George H. Chen is an Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University , with dual affiliations in the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and the Machine Learning Department . His research focuses on trustworthy machine learning methods for temporal reasoning , particularly in health applications such as time-to-event prediction (survival analysis) and electronic health records analysis . He has extensive experience in nonparametric methods requiring minimal data assumptions. Educational Background PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT (2015) SM in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT (2012) BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences & Engineering Mathematics and Statistics, UC Berkeley (2010) His work spans survival analysis , deep learning , and time series modeling , with applications in neurological prognostication , medical adherence , and health equity . He has developed self-contained educational resources including a 2024 monograph on deep survival analysis and tutorials at CHIL and SIGMETRICS. His 2025 course 95-865: Unstructured Data Analytics focuses on practical unstructured data analysis techniques. Notable projects include advising the AgriTech startup CoolCrop , which provides cold storage and market forecasts for Indian farmers serving 9,000+ farmers across 7 states. His Google Scholar publications reveal a strong focus on temporal modeling in healthcare, with recent advancements in neural survival analysis and fairness-aware temporal prediction.
Laura E. Brumariu is a Professor and Associate Dean for Professional Programs and Student Advancement at the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University. She holds a Ph.D. from Kent State University and completed postdoctoral research fellowships at Harvard Medical School. Her office is located in the Hy Weinberg Center, and she is licensed as a psychologist in New York State. Education: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School/CHA/MGA (2013) Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Clinical Attributions, Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School (2012) Ph.D., Kent State University (2010) Her research adopts a developmental psychopathology perspective, focusing on how parent-child attachment influences emotional and social development, particularly in middle childhood. She investigates emotion regulation, anxiety, disorganized attachment, role-confusion, and family processes related to borderline personality features and dissociation. She developed the Middle Childhood Attachment Strategies Coding System and leads the Child and Adolescent Research (CARE) Lab. Her recent work emphasizes meta-analytic reviews on emotion socialization, attachment, anxiety, and empathy. Her most recent publications reflect trends in attachment theory, emotion regulation, parenting, and internalizing disorders across development, often using meta-analytic and longitudinal methods. Much of her work integrates international collaboration, especially with Romanian researchers. Scientific Awards and Honors: Clinical Research Training Program, Harvard Medical School, Research Fellow (2010–2012) The Jeanette and Louis Reuter Fellowship in Developmental Sciences, Kent State University (2008–2009) She has mentored numerous doctoral students whose research spans topics such as gratitude, empathy, emotion socialization, and trauma. She teaches courses in psychological research, family therapy, and doctoral thesis supervision. She has secured research funding and collaborates extensively on studies related to child and adolescent mental health, though specific grants are not detailed in the text. Her professional activities include frequent presentations at major psychological conferences such as the Association for Psychological Science and the International Attachment Conference. Labs and Research Teams: She directs the Child and Adolescent Research (CARE) Lab at Adelphi University, which focuses on attachment, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in children and adolescents. The lab conducts both observational and survey-based research and trains graduate students in developmental and clinical methods.
Caroline K. Milne, M.D., is Professor (Clinical) of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, where she also serves as Vice Chair for Education and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Training Program. In addition, she directs the fourth-year sub-internship and leads clinical-skills education for medical students. Education & Training M.D., University of Wisconsin School of Medicine Residency & Chief Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine Fellowship in General Medicine / Medical Education Research, University of Pennsylvania M.B.A., Business Administration, University of Utah Fellowship in Executive Leadership in Health Care, Drexel University Research Focus Dr. Milne’s scholarly work centers on medical education research, particularly the assessment and development of clinical skills, evaluation of residency training programs, and policy studies on resident wellness and parental leave. Her investigations employ mixed-methods and multi-institutional survey designs to inform best practices in graduate medical education. Clinically, she practices general internal medicine at the VA Medical Center, integrating bedside teaching with outpatient and inpatient care. This dual role informs her research on optimizing educational experiences within clinical environments and improving systems of care for veterans. Publication Themes Across more than two decades, her peer-reviewed articles reveal consistent themes: evaluating learner performance, refining feedback mechanisms, exploring health-system responses (e.g., during COVID-19), and analyzing policies affecting residents’ well-being. The work bridges education science, health-services research, and quality improvement. Scientific Awards No specific awards are listed in the provided material. Advising & Grant Activity While formal student advisees are not enumerated, Dr. Milne’s roles as Program Director and Director of Clinical Skills imply extensive mentorship of residents and medical students. Grant details are not provided. Laboratories & Teams She collaborates with the Internal Medicine residency leadership team and the School of Medicine’s clinical-skills educators, operating primarily within the University of Utah’s academic medical center and the affiliated VA Medical Center.
Benjamin Andrew Toll is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine. He serves as Associate Director of Education and Training for the Hollings Cancer Center, Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Public Health Sciences, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program, and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at MUSC. Dr. Toll received his BA from Cornell University (1996), MS and PhD from Nova Southeastern University (1999, 2002), and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship and Internship at Yale University. Dr. Toll is a leading researcher in tobacco cessation, with over 20 years of experience conducting clinical trials focused on developing novel therapeutics for tobacco and nicotine use. His work primarily centers on preventing cancer through tobacco treatment interventions, with particular emphasis on lung cancer screening patients and cancer surgery patients. He has expertise in nicotine replacement therapy, contingency management approaches, gain-framed messaging, and digital health interventions for smoking cessation across diverse populations including older adults and young adults. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on implementation science for tobacco treatment programs across various healthcare settings including hospitals, oncology clinics, and primary care. His research examines barriers to treatment, optimal delivery methods (including telehealth and EHR-integrated tools), and effectiveness of various pharmacological and behavioral interventions for smoking cessation. National Cancer Institute funding (R01CA235697, R01CA207229, P50CA196530) National Institute on Drug Abuse funding (P50DA036151, K12DA000167) Continuous funding for over 15 years for tobacco cessation research As a mentor and leader, Dr. Toll oversees the Education and Training program at the Hollings Cancer Center, guiding the development of future cancer researchers. His Tobacco Treatment Program serves as a model for integrating tobacco cessation into comprehensive cancer care, and he has successfully implemented 'opt-out' tobacco treatment programs across multiple hospital systems in South Carolina. Dr. Toll leads a multidisciplinary research team focused on tobacco treatment, including psychologists, pharmacists, physicians, and implementation scientists working together to develop and test innovative approaches to smoking cessation for high-risk populations.
Dr. Shanna Williams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University's Faculty of Education. She holds clinical licensure in Quebec and Ontario, with expertise in forensic child psychology and maltreatment-related research. Her work focuses on child lie-telling, commercial sexual exploitation, moral development, and eyewitness testimony. Prior roles include a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law and forensic law enforcement collaboration in Los Angeles. Education: Ph.D., McGill University: School/Applied Child Psychology M.A., McGill University: Educational Psychology B.A., McGill University: Psychology Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow, University of Southern California Research Interests: Lie-Telling Dynamics: Investigating how cognitive and social factors influence children's deception across contexts. Child Maltreatment: Developing trauma-informed forensic interview protocols and assessing maltreatment impacts on memory and disclosure. Legal Systems: Enhancing child-witness support through improved questioning techniques and cross-cultural legal practices. Publications Trends: Her recent work emphasizes pandemic-era challenges in child protection, digital exploitation, and legal system adaptations. Over 20 peer-reviewed articles address topics like forensic interviewing methods, maltreatment detection, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Awards: SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016-2017) SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Fellowship (2010-2013) Advising & Grants: Supervises graduate students in child psychology and maltreatment studies. Research funded by SSHRC, NSF, and NIH grants focusing on forensic child development. Labs/Teams: Child Interviewing & Witness Lab Canadian Child Interviewing Research Team
Nancy E. Glass, PhD, MPH, MS, RN, FAAN, is a Professor and Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, while holding the Independence Chair in Nursing Education at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She specializes in clinical and community-based intervention research targeting gender-based violence (GBV) and health equity globally. Global Health Expertise: Focuses on improving safety and economic security for women in humanitarian settings, particularly addressing GBV in Somalia, South Sudan, and Kenya. Technological Innovation: Develops mHealth tools like the MyPlan app for abuse intervention and collaborates on ASIST-GBV screening methods. Research Focus: Dr. Glass leads federally funded projects (NICHD, NIMHD, CDC, etc.) to challenge social norms sustaining violence against women and enhance healthcare systems' responses to GBV through partnerships and mHealth technologies. Scientific Awards: 2017 Independence Chair in Nursing Education 2015 Edith Moore Copeland Award 2014 PathPaver Award 2009 Fellow, American Academy of Nursing 2007 Linda Saltzman New Investigator Award Dr. Glass mentors colleagues and students globally, partnering with community organizations and experts to address health, safety, and economic disparities for women and families.
Rey Ramirez, MD is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine, specializing in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery with a focus on pediatric hand conditions. He joined Yale in 2022 after completing his pediatric hand surgery fellowship at Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Ramirez is affiliated with the Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery division and Pediatric Orthopaedics within the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation. Dr. Ramirez's educational background includes: BS in Biology from California Institute of Technology (2003) MD from David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2007) Internship at Keck School of Medicine - Los Angeles County Medical Center (2008) Residency at Keck School of Medicine - Los Angeles County Medical Center (2012) Hand Surgery Fellowship at University of Texas Southwestern (2013) Pediatric Hand Surgery Fellowship at Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia (2014) Dr. Ramirez's primary research interests focus on pediatric hand surgery, including congenital hand conditions, brachial plexus birth injuries, and arthrogryposis. His clinical expertise spans pediatric hand reconstruction, microsurgery, and treatment of conditions such as amniotic band syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome in children, and peripheral nerve injuries. Additionally, he has a strong interest in diversity and inclusion within orthopedic surgery, examining gender and racial disparities in the field and factors influencing specialty choice among medical students and residents. His recent publications demonstrate a dual focus on clinical pediatric hand surgery techniques and diversity in medicine. The surgical publications often address innovative approaches to complex pediatric hand conditions, while his diversity-focused work examines gender disparities in orthopedic surgery and physical medicine, contributing to important conversations about inclusion in medical specialties. His work spans both original research articles and textbook chapters on hand surgery topics. Dr. Ramirez has received several professional recognitions: "Top Research Study" award for his work on women's experiences in orthopedics versus physical medicine (2024) Top Doc for Kids recognition (2020) Best "Surgical Pearl" Paper award from the Pediatric Hand Study Group (2014) Dr. Ramirez is actively involved in mentoring medical students and residents, currently advising Tamanna Patel, Claire Donnelley, Louise Atadja, and Peter Laub. His educational contributions include developing virtual curricula for medical student orthopedic education and examining methods to improve resident performance on standardized examinations. While specific grant funding isn't detailed in the provided information, his research activities suggest involvement in both clinical outcomes studies and healthcare disparities research. Within the Yale Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation department, Dr. Ramirez contributes to the Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery and Pediatric Orthopaedics divisions. His work intersects with the department's broader research initiatives including the Liu Lab for Translational Orthopaedic Research and the 3D Collaborative for Medical Innovation (3DC), though specific lab leadership isn't mentioned in the provided information.
Emily D. Gottfried, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine. She serves as Director of the MUSC Sexual Behaviors Clinic and Lab (SBCL) and CPSPD Student Education & Research, conducting forensic evaluations, physiological sexual arousal assessments, and mentoring students. She is licensed in South Carolina and Georgia, and a National Register Health Service Psychologist. Bachelor’s in Psychology, San Diego State University Master’s in Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University PhD in Clinical Psychology, Florida State University Her research focuses on sex offender risk assessment , malingering detection (PPG/VPP technology), female offender psychology , and forensic evaluation validity . Recent work includes dimensional personality models and QAnon-related threat analysis . She has published extensively on psychopathy , penile/vaginal plethysmography , and mental health court outcomes . Notable publication trends include Forensic validity of symptom detection tools Psychopathy in female offenders Technology's role in sexual behavior assessment Telehealth adaptation during pandemics MMPI-2-RF applications in correctional settings Psychological factors in civil commitment She leads ongoing funded studies on female sexual arousal and police officer behavioral outcomes , operating at the intersection of forensic science and clinical psychology .
