معرفی
Jean M. Breny serves as Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Public Health at Southern Connecticut State University's College of Health and Human Services. She holds dual affiliations as Associate Scientist at Yale University's Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS and Affiliated Researcher at Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, while co-developing SCSU's Center for Health Equity and Eliminating Racism (CHEER).
Her research centers on eliminating health disparities through antiracist photovoice methodology and community-based participatory research. Key focus areas include HIV/AIDS prevention, gender dynamics in sexual health, stigma reduction, and structural interventions to address systemic racism. Her work emphasizes community empowerment and translating research into actionable public health practice, particularly through visual storytelling and collaborative frameworks that center marginalized voices.
Recent publications (2019-2025) reveal consistent thematic evolution toward antiracist praxis across multiple domains: health pedagogy transformation, digital adaptation of participatory methods during the pandemic, LGBTQ+ health equity, and community-driven policy advocacy. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological innovation in photovoice applications while maintaining focus on power dynamics, intersectionality, and actionable solutions for racial justice in health systems.
Dr. Breny's scholarly recognition includes:
- Fulbright Senior Specialist in Global/Public Health (Izmir, Turkey)
- Past Presidency of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
She has secured significant grant funding including Connecticut Health Foundation support for implicit bias training systems change ($25,000), CSU projects on campus breastfeeding experiences ($5,000), and formative evaluations of peer education programs for male students ($3,000). Her grant portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on community-academic partnerships addressing health equity through photovoice methodology.
As co-developer of SCSU's Center for Health Equity and Eliminating Racism (CHEER), she leads initiatives training students in antiracist research while collaborating with Yale and Boston University centers to advance systemic approaches to health justice.
