Julie Wright

Julie Wright, PhD, is the Associate Dean of the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island, an MS in Exercise Physiology from San Diego State University, and a BS in Nutrition from Cornell University. She is a leading researcher in e-Health self-care interventions and behavior change strategies across the lifespan.

Education:

• PhD, Psychology – University of Rhode Island
• MS, Exercise Physiology – San Diego State University
• BS, Nutrition – Cornell University

Dr. Wright’s research program is centered on designing theory-driven, tailored behavior change interventions delivered via digital platforms. Her work spans obesity prevention, physical activity promotion, dietary behavior modification, and chronic disease management. She has developed scalable e-Health solutions, including tailored print, web, and interactive voice response systems, and has contributed to the measurement of transtheoretical model constructs.

Her recent publications reflect a consistent focus on digital health, community-based interventions, and culturally tailored programs, particularly targeting underserved populations such as African Americans and Central American families. She has also contributed to health informatics through frameworks for evaluating clinical decision support systems.

Scientific Contributions:

• Developed validated scales for assessing parental self-efficacy in obesity prevention
• Conducted feasibility studies on tailored pediatric obesity prevention in primary care
• Led community-based physical activity interventions for hypertension management
• Published extensively on digital health tools and patient engagement strategies

Dr. Wright also teaches courses in Health Behavior Change and Research Methods, and her expertise is recognized in both academic and clinical settings. Her work bridges psychology, nutrition, exercise science, and digital health to promote sustainable lifestyle changes.