Carol Cornell

Carol Cornell, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She holds roles as Deputy Director for Administration and Center Co-Investigator in the Arkansas Prevention Research Center (ARPRC), and Deputy Center Director for Research and Research Core Director in the Arkansas Center for Health Disparities (ARCHD). Her work focuses on community-based public health interventions targeting cardiovascular behavioral medicine, particularly in underserved populations.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Psychology, Yale University (1992)
• Clinical Internship in Health Psychology, University of Florida (1989)
• M.Phil. in Psychology, Yale University (1987)
• BA/MA in Psychology, Johns Hopkins University (1980)

Research Interests:

Dr. Cornell develops and evaluates community-based interventions addressing health disparities through partnerships with faith-based organizations and rural communities. Her work emphasizes behavioral weight loss programs, cardiovascular disease prevention, and reducing risky health behaviors among African American populations. She leads projects funded by CDC (ARPRC) and NCMHD (ARCHD), totaling over $11M in grants.

Program Leadership:

She designed the WORD trial – a faith-based weight loss maintenance program for rural African American adults – and pioneered lay health educator models for sustainable community interventions. Her research also explores psychosocial factors in cardiovascular outcomes among women through the NHLBI-sponsored WISE study.

Awards: No specific awards listed in provided materials.

Advising & Grants: Served as Co-Investigator on NIDA-funded projects targeting risky sexual behaviors in rural cocaine users. Her grants emphasize translational research and community engagement strategies to reduce health inequities.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Arkansas Prevention Research Center and the Arkansas Center for Health Disparities, focusing on community health advisor programs and health equity initiatives.