Find Academic Supervisors

Ashli Owen-Smith is a behavioral scientist affiliated with the School of Public Health at Georgia State University , where her research focuses on mental health disparities, suicide prevention, and integrative/complementary approaches for complex mental-physical health conditions. She works with underserved populations including refugees/immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQ+ communities through community-based participatory research and mixed-methods frameworks. Her current projects are funded by CDC , DBHDD , and DPH . Education: Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences (Emory, 2009), S.M. in Public Health (Harvard, 2005), B.A. in Psychology (Smith College, 2001) Her research spans mental health , trauma , suicide prevention , and mindfulness-based interventions . Recent work examines telehealth adaptations for chronic pain and mental health, vaccine hesitancy in refugee communities, and social determinants of suicide . She leads studies on gender-affirming care and health disparities in LGBTQ+ populations. Key article trends include epidemiological analysis of suicide risk factors, COVID-19 impacts on mental health, ICD-10 coding for autism, and complementary medicine in trauma recovery. Subfields span telehealth , health equity , mental-physical comorbidity , and community engagement . Students she has mentored include C.A. Scarlett , T. Griner , and M.M. Sesay . Her work integrates public health policy , clinical research , and health systems analysis .

• Mental Health
• Behavioral Science
• Trauma
• +6 more

Daniel Webster is Bloomberg Professor of American Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also affiliated with the Urban Health Institute, the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, and the Center for Mental Health and Addiction Policy Research. Dr. Webster is one of the nation’s leading experts on firearm policy and the prevention of gun violence. His research interests include violence and violence prevention, firearm injuries, gun policy, policy evaluation, domestic violence, youth violence, and opioid abuse. He has led extensive research on the effects of firearm and alcohol policies, policing strategies, street outreach, conflict mediation, and school-based curricula. His recent publications focus on public health approaches to gun violence, the impact of purchaser licensing and background check laws, firearm injury hospitalizations, police shootings, and the deregulation of civilian gun carrying. These works reveal a strong trend in evaluating state-level firearm policies using longitudinal data and mixed-methods designs to inform public health and criminal justice policy. Inaugural Bloomberg Professor of American Health, 2018 Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni Award, 2017 Baltimore City Health Equity Leadership Award, 2016 David Rall Award for Science-Based Advocacy, American Public Health Association, 2015 Finalist, Marylander of the Year, The Baltimore Sun, 2013 Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health – Alpha Chapter, Faculty induction, 2005 Educator of the Year, Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, 2004 Dr. Webster has led numerous federally and foundation-funded research projects, including evaluations of city-level gun violence prevention initiatives, the Lethality Assessment Program, California’s domestic violence firearm intervention, and Baltimore policing strategies. He has advised on national and state-level policy and is a sought-after expert in public health advocacy. He teaches Understanding and Preventing Violence and Crafting Effective Solutions to Gun Violence: A Problem-Solving Seminar. He is a Distinguished Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, where he continues to lead research and policy engagement efforts. His work is supported by interdisciplinary teams and collaborations across public health, criminology, law, and social work.

• Gun violence prevention
• Firearm policy
• Public health policy
• +12 more

Professor Mark Petticrew is Professor of Public Health Evaluation at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), where he is based in the Faculty of Public Health and Policy within the Public Health - Environments and Society department. He serves as Director of the NIHR Public Health Policy Research Unit and is an active member of the Commercial Determinants Research Group (CDRG) at LSHTM, which conducts research on the products and strategies of tobacco, alcohol, gambling, food, opioid and other industries. His work is also affiliated with the Centre for Evaluation and the Centre for Maternal Adolescent Reproductive & Child Health. Professor Petticrew's research primarily focuses on the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDOH), examining how corporate practices influence public health outcomes and policy. His work explores evidence-based policymaking approaches and public health evaluation methodologies, with particular emphasis on how unhealthy commodity industries shape scientific research and policy development. He investigates industry tactics including misinformation campaigns, marketing strategies, and political influence operations that affect population health. His research often employs systems perspectives to understand the complex interactions between commercial interests and public health outcomes. His extensive publication record demonstrates a strong focus on analyzing industry influence across multiple sectors. Recent work examines alcohol industry marketing tactics, tobacco industry narratives around e-cigarettes, gambling industry practices, and food industry strategies. He has developed frameworks for understanding corporate political activity and has contributed to methodological approaches for evaluating complex public health interventions. His research frequently appears in high-impact public health journals and informs policy development at national and international levels. Professor Petticrew has secured significant research funding from major organizations including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Wellcome Trust, and Medical Research Council. His current projects include "Countermarketing against the products and activities of unhealthy commodity industries: effectiveness mechanisms and inequalities" and the "NIHR PRP Public Health Research Policy Unit 2024-2029." He has led or contributed to numerous completed research grants examining population interventions, complex interventions, mental health, and policy research units. As Director of the NIHR Public Health Policy Research Unit, Professor Petticrew plays a key leadership role in translating research into policy. He has contributed to important policy discussions around alcohol marketing restrictions, as evidenced by his co-authorship of the influential 2024 BMJ Global Health commentary "Normative value of 'best buys' and the case of bans on alcohol marketing," which argued for comprehensive bans on alcohol marketing as an effective public health intervention. His work supports evidence-based policymaking in contested areas where commercial interests may conflict with public health goals.

• Commercial Determinants of Health
• Public Health Policy
• Evidence-Based Policymaking
• +7 more

Jon Vernick is a Professor and Associate Chair for Educational Programs in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, where he conducts interdisciplinary research at the nexus of law and public health. MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 1994 JD, George Washington University, 1989 His research centers on the use of legal and regulatory interventions to improve public health, particularly in injury and violence prevention. He has extensively studied firearm policy, motor vehicle safety, opioid prescribing laws, and the role of litigation in preventing consumer product injuries. His work employs epidemiological and legal analysis to evaluate the impact of legislation on public health outcomes. The recent trend in his publications shows a strong focus on evaluating the effects of state-level policies on firearm fatalities, drug-impaired driving, and occupational safety. His research combines legal scholarship with public health data to inform evidence-based policymaking. American Public Health Association, ICEHS Section Public Service Award, 2013 Golden Apple Teaching Award (student-given) SCC Teaching and Advising Award, 2000 and 2011 Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award (AMTRA), 2005, 2013, 2020 Cum Laude Law School Graduate, 1989 Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, 1994 Vernick has been consistently recognized for excellence in teaching and mentoring. He has led educational initiatives and advised students in public health policy. His research is supported by major grants focused on gun violence prevention and injury control. He collaborates widely with experts in epidemiology, law, and policy. He is a key member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and the Center for Injury Research and Policy, where he contributes to multidisciplinary teams conducting high-impact research to reduce preventable injuries and deaths.

• Public Health Law
• Firearm Policy
• Injury Prevention and Control
• +7 more

Dr. Nick Cartwright is an Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of Leeds, where he serves as Director of Student Success and the School Academic Lead for Inclusive Pedagogy (SALIP EDI). His work focuses on race equality in education, decolonizing legal pedagogy, and inclusive teaching strategies. Prior to Leeds, he held roles including Senior Lecturer at the University of Northampton and Visiting Fellow at Mahatma Law School in Sudan. He is a National Teaching Fellow, Senior Fellow of the HEA, and advises on EDI for the Halpin Partnership. Research Interests: Critical Race Theory & Pedagogy Race and Identity in Legal Education Decolonizing Higher Education Firearms Policy & International Law Physician-Assisted Suicide His research explores anti-racist law school frameworks, white academic accountability, and gamification in teaching. He contributed to the Living Black at University project and co-authored chapters on global firearms control. His work appears in WonkHE , HuffPost , and academic journals. Awards & Affiliations: National Teaching Fellow (AdvanceHE) Member, Transforming Access and Student Outcomes (TASO) Network Visiting Fellow at CARE (Centre for Advancing Race Equality) Cartwright advises on UN firearms reduction initiatives and advocates for equality through organizations like the Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council. His recent publications highlight systemic inequities in education and the role of critical scholarship in driving institutional change.

• Critical Race Theory
• Critical Race Pedagogy
• Race Equality and Education
• +5 more

Deborah Gorman-Smith is the Dean and Emily Klein Gidwitz Professor at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago. She also serves as the Principal Investigator and Director of the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, a CDC-funded national Academic Center of Excellence. Her work focuses on public health approaches to youth violence prevention, particularly among minority youth in urban settings. Research Interests: Youth violence prevention and intervention Community and family dynamics in urban settings Social determinants of health and violence Minority adolescent development Public health policy and preventive interventions Her research explores how neighborhood characteristics, family functioning, and community violence intersect to influence adolescent behavior, with a strong emphasis on developing evidence-based prevention strategies. Her publications span over two decades and consistently address the ecological and developmental factors contributing to youth violence, with a recent focus on firearm injury prevention, community-level interventions, and the role of social and structural determinants in shaping outcomes for urban adolescents. Scientific Contributions: Led a UN-commissioned study on violence against children Member of the UK Department of Health’s Study Group on Primary Prevention of Antisocial Behavior Principal Investigator of CDC-funded youth violence prevention centers She has also contributed to large-scale longitudinal studies such as the SAFE Children Study and has advised on national and international policy frameworks for youth violence prevention. Labs and Teams: Gorman-Smith leads the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention , a collaborative hub that integrates academic research, community engagement, and policy development to reduce youth violence in high-burden communities. The center works closely with local organizations, schools, and public health agencies to implement and evaluate community-level interventions.

• Youth Violence Prevention
• Community Violence
• Family Functioning
• +7 more

Jeffrey DeSimone is a Professor of the Practice of Economics and Director of the Duke Economic Analytics Lab (DEAL) at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2022. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University (1998). His research focuses on policy evaluation, particularly examining impacts of legal age restrictions on alcohol/tobacco use, gun control legislation, mental health outcomes linked to social security policies, and socioeconomic factors influencing crime and public health. Notable projects include studying suicide rate reductions tied to retirement age policies and analyzing the efficacy of child access prevention laws for reducing gun injuries. DeSimone has taught courses in econometrics, data science, and independent research at Duke, and previously held academic positions at institutions like the University of South Florida, University of Maryland, and University of Iowa. His work combines econometric rigor with real-world policy applications, addressing issues like substance abuse economics, labor market disparities after trauma, and institutional behaviors in higher education settings. His research portfolio includes over 20 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as the American Economic Review, Contemporary Economic Policy, and Journal of Health Economics. While no specific grants or awards are listed, his work demonstrates significant contributions to applied economics with direct policy relevance. The DEAL lab under his direction focuses on innovative analytical approaches to pressing social and economic questions.

• Public Policy Analysis
• Health Economics
• Crime and Economics
• +4 more

Kerri Raissian is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University (2002), an MPA (2008), and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Syracuse University's Maxwell School (2013). Her research focuses on child and family policy, particularly the intersection of public policy with fertility, family formation, and family violence. She has received the 2016 Vernon Memorial Prize for her JPAM paper analyzing the impact of gun control legislation on domestic homicides. Raissian's work bridges program evaluation, economic demography, and applied microeconomics. She has published in journals like the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Child Maltreatment, and the European Journal of Ageing. Her recent projects include studies on paid family leave policies, firearm ownership surveys, and pandemic-era child welfare dynamics. She actively collaborates with Connecticut agencies to address family violence and child welfare challenges. Teaching expertise includes financial management for public organizations, research methods, and social policy. She has been recognized by the UConn Provost’s Office for outstanding teaching evaluations. Raissian’s career includes prior roles in government and nonprofits serving abused children and adults, informing her applied policy research approach.

• Public Policy Analysis
• Child and Family Policy
• Family Violence
• +5 more

David M. Studdert is a Professor of Law and Health Policy at Stanford University, holding joint appointments in the Stanford Law School and the School of Medicine. He also serves as the Vice Provost and Dean of Research for Stanford University. His expertise spans health law, medical malpractice, public health law, and empirical studies. Studdert has authored over 250 articles and book chapters, focusing on the intersection of law and public health, including groundbreaking research on medical injury litigation, firearm violence prevention, and pandemic policy. He earned his law degree from the University of Melbourne and a doctoral degree in health policy from Harvard University. His research has been recognized with prestigious awards, including Australian Research Council Fellowships and election to the National Academy of Medicine (2024). Education: LLB, University of Melbourne ScD in Health Policy and Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health Research Interests: Studdert’s work examines how legal systems impact public health outcomes, particularly in domains like medical malpractice, gun violence, and pandemic response. His recent studies on firearm ownership and mortality risks have reshaped policy debates, while his analysis of medical negligence litigation has influenced tort reform discussions. Key Contributions: Launched the LongSHOT cohort study analyzing firearm-related mortality risks at scale. Co-authored seminal papers on physician behavior post-malpractice claims and nursing home negligence litigation. Advocated for evidence-based policy solutions through writings on vaccine passports, AI in healthcare, and pandemic governance. Awards: Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award (AcademyHealth) Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship (2006) Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship (2011) Elected to National Academy of Medicine (2024) Administrative Roles: As Vice Provost and Dean of Research, Studdert oversees Stanford’s research enterprise, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration (e.g., the Food@Stanford initiative). He previously held faculty roles at Harvard and the University of Melbourne, and advised Australia’s Health Ministry.

• Health Law & Policy
• Medical Malpractice
• Public Health Law
• +3 more

Dr. Sally A Kuykendall is a Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Saint Joseph’s University, where she has served since 2004 (holding roles including Department Chair from 2011–2015). A former critical care nurse with multidisciplinary academic training (PhD in Health Studies from Temple University, MS in Health Education from Saint Joseph’s University, and BSc in Chemistry/Biology from the University of Plymouth), her work spans bullying prevention, scientific misconduct analysis, and trauma-informed care. She led a nine-year bullying prevention study and authored seminal works like Skewed Studies (2020), exposing flaws in health/psychology research. Her research also examines family violence, adverse childhood experiences, and firearm-related youth behavior. Professional experience includes clinical roles at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals and Abington Hospital, alongside adjunct/visiting professorships at Temple University and Saint Joseph’s University. She has secured over $3 million in grants for initiatives like the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program implementation and Healthy Lessons for Urban Youth. Awards include the Teaching Excellence Award (2003) and Crystal Community Impact Award (1996). Her recent focus includes creative problem-solving research and book projects addressing institutional responses to whistleblowing. Key contributions include evidence-based bullying prevention frameworks, trauma-informed care protocols, and critiques of unethical research practices across health and psychology disciplines.

• Bullying Prevention
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Public Health History
• +3 more

Enoch Azasu is an Assistant Professor at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, specializing in psychiatric epidemiology and youth mental health. His research bridges advanced epidemiological methodologies with sociocultural insights to address suicidal behaviors among adolescents in Ghana and marginalized populations in the U.S. PhD in Social Work (2023), Washington University in St. Louis MSW (2019), Washington University in St. Louis MBA (2016), University of Professional Studies, Ghana BA in Psychology (2010), University of Ghana His work focuses on suicidality prevention , racism-related stress , ethnic identity , and culturally appropriate interventions . Recent publications examine digital stressors, neighborhood violence, and police exposure in youth populations. Key trends in his research include socioecological modeling , mediation analysis of risk pathways, and cross-cultural validation of suicide theories. He integrates mental health epidemiology with social justice advocacy . National Institute of Mental Health Global VISTA Award ICHAD Research Resilience Training Fellowship McDonnell International Scholars Academy Award Azasu founded the Ghana-based nonprofit Youth Awake to Suicide - STAY , organizing workshops to combat suicide stigma and promote help-seeking. His teaching emphasizes research-practice integration for systemic mental health solutions.

• Psychiatric epidemiology
• Mental health intervention
• Suicidality prevention
• +7 more

Kimberly Lema serves as a Research Professor at the Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire, where she leads critical research on youth victimization, violence prevention, and trauma responses. Her work spans multiple interdisciplinary domains connecting psychology, public health, and criminology. Dr. Lema's research focuses on adolescent health and safety, with particular expertise in digital sexual violence, polyvictimization, cyberbullying, and structural determinants of health. Her work examines how social contexts influence mental health outcomes among vulnerable youth populations, with special attention to sexual and gender minority youth. She investigates both risk factors and resilience mechanisms that affect youth exposed to various forms of violence and trauma. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on integrated approaches to violence research, recognizing the overlap between different forms of victimization. Her work increasingly examines structural determinants of health and how social contexts shape mental health outcomes. A significant portion of her recent research addresses image-based sexual abuse, bystander intervention strategies, and the mental health impacts on both victims and professionals working with child sexual abuse cases. Dr. Lema currently leads multiple federally funded research projects, including a major NIH study Understanding Bystanders for Self-Directed Violence Prevention: A Prospective National Study Highlighting Marginalized Youth and Young Adults (2021-2026), along with several Department of Justice-funded projects examining child sexual exploitation, hate crimes, and youth firearm violence. Her research portfolio demonstrates sustained external funding and significant contributions to evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies. She is actively involved in evaluating prevention programs, including the Common Sense Education Digital Citizenship Curriculum and Love146's child trafficking prevention program. Her work with the CCRC positions her at the forefront of research translating into practical applications for child protection and youth safety.

• Violence Prevention
• Adolescent Health
• Cyberbullying
• +7 more

Dr. Heath Grant is an Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), where he serves in the Department of Law and Police Science. He holds significant leadership roles, including former Deputy Chair of the department, and has extensive experience in program development, evaluation, and international policing strategies. His work focuses on juvenile violence prevention, social emotional learning, and fostering a culture of lawfulness globally. Education: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice, John Jay College, New York Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, John Jay College, New York Research Interests: Dr. Grant’s work centers on crime prevention strategies, particularly in developing nations, with an emphasis on community policing, social emotional learning, and the role of law enforcement in youth development. He has pioneered programs in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, focusing on resiliency-building and curriculum development. His recent projects include assessing youth violence in the Caribbean and designing training programs for police forces in Bangladesh and Colombia. Key Achievements: Recipient of prestigious fellowships: Bradley Post-doctoral Fellowship (Georgetown), Arthur Niederhoffer Fellowship, and Arts ’50 Scholarship. Secured and managed over $20 million in program funding across international initiatives. Advising & Grants: As program executive at Success for Kids (SFK), he expanded social emotional learning programs reaching millions internationally. He currently leads research on animal-assisted interventions in correctional facilities and geo-spatial impacts on policing decisions in NYC. Labs/Teams: Active in the Police Executive Research Forum as former Director of Research, and serves as a board member of the Every Child is Ours Foundation.

• Criminal Justice Policy
• Program Evaluation
• Evidence-Based Policy
• +5 more

Dr. Louis James Klarevas is a Research Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, specializing in school violence, mass-casualty incidents, and gun policy. He holds affiliations with the Department of Mathematics, Science & Technology, and advises state Attorneys General on firearm laws. His career includes roles at institutions like American University, George Washington University, and the London School of Economics as a Defense Analysis Research Fellow. He also served as a U.S. Senior Fulbright Scholar in Security Studies at the University of Macedonia. Dr. Klarevas earned his Ph.D. from American University and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on public safety policy, criminal justice, and educational safety, with emphasis on reducing gun violence through legislative and policy interventions. He has authored over 20 peer-reviewed articles and commentaries, including the book Rampage Nation: Securing America from Mass Shootings (2016). His work spans scholarly articles on firearm regulations, public health implications of gun laws, and policy recommendations for schools and colleges. He frequently collaborates with federal agencies and contributes to high-profile policy debates on national security and public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Klarevas has advised multiple states on gun violence prevention and served as a consultant for federal public safety initiatives. His advocacy bridges academia and policy-making, with a focus on evidence-based solutions to reduce mass shootings and enhance community safety.

• Gun Policy
• Public Health
• Public Safety Policy
• +3 more

Brent R. Klein is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina's McCausland College of Arts and Sciences . His research focuses on generating refined explanations of violence and empirical evidence for public policy, employing an interdisciplinary approach blending sociological criminology, developmental theory, situational crime prevention, and decision-making frameworks. Ph.D., 2020, Michigan State University, Criminal Justice M.S., 2015, University of Arkansas, Sociology B.S., 2013, University of Arkansas, Sociology & Criminal Justice Dr. Klein's work addresses urgent societal issues including school violence , firearms-related violence , mass shootings , domestic terrorism , and bias-motivated crimes . His methodological expertise centers on quantitative and mixed methods , particularly longitudinal studies and open-source data analysis. Key projects include the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-funded pathways to school shootings study , American School Shooting Study (TASSS) , and Comparative Gun Violence Project (CGVP) . Dr. Klein's peer-reviewed publications in journals like JAMA Pediatrics , Justice Quarterly , and Crime & Delinquency reveal trends in adolescent firearm violence, gender dynamics in mass shootings, and systemic drivers of bias-motivated crimes. His research is supported by $2.53 million in current grants from the NIJ and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, focusing on extreme risk protection orders, mass violence interdiction, and school violence root causes. Fellow of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Doctoral Summit Fellow of National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) Dr. Klein maintains affiliations with leading research consortia including the U.S. Extremist Crime Database (ECDB) , American Terrorism Study (ATS) , and Rockefeller Institute's Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium (RGVRC) . He previously served as a research consultant to the Michigan State Police and the inaugural student board member for ASC's Division on Terrorism & Bias Crimes .

• Violence Prevention
• Criminological Theory
• Gun Violence
• +7 more