Haeok Lee

Haeok Lee is a Professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, where she conducts pioneering research on health disparities among immigrant and minority populations, particularly Korean Americans and Malawian women living with HIV. Her work integrates behavioral science, nursing, and community-based participatory methods, with a focus on culturally tailored storytelling and mHealth interventions to promote health equity.

Education:

• Post Doctoral Fellowship, University of California San Francisco
• PhD, University of California San Francisco
• MA, Yonsei University School of Education
• BSN, Chosun University

Her research interests include health disparities, cancer prevention, Alzheimer's disease, HIV and aging, oral health, and global health. She is particularly known for developing culturally specific storytelling interventions to improve cervical cancer screening and vaccination behaviors in underserved communities.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in using community-based and decolonizing approaches to study dementia, cancer, and vaccination in both U.S. minority populations and African contexts. Her work often combines qualitative and quantitative methods, with increasing use of GIS and digital platforms for outreach and intervention delivery.

Scientific Awards:

• Distinguished Editorial Board Award, Asian Pacific Journal of Oncology (2024)
• American Nurses Association, Massachusetts Excellence in Nursing Research Awards (2022)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (2013)
• Excellent Chosun Alumni for Contribution in Education and Social Justice (2012)

Prof. Lee actively mentors PhD students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. She has served as a site PI for the NIH-funded Asian Cohort for Alzheimer’s Disease (ACAD) and led an R21 grant on mHealth storytelling for cervical cancer screening in Malawi. She has also sponsored visiting scholars from abroad.

She leads several active projects including the Asian Cohort for Alzheimer's Disease (ACAD), its Community Outreach arm, and the Malawian Brain Study: A Pilot Cohort Study, all of which focus on improving representation and understanding of health issues in underrepresented populations.