Rie Suzuki is a Professor of Public Health & Health Sciences at the College of Health Sciences, University of Michigan-Flint. Her work focuses on health disparities, disability, and environmental influences on health outcomes, particularly among aging populations and underserved communities in Flint, MI. RPh.D. in Health Education and Behavior (2005) and M.A. in Health Education (2001) from University of Texas at Austin Postdoctoral training in Disability and Health Promotion from Oregon Health and Science University (2008) Her research examines health equity in adults with physical disabilities, environmental and social determinants of health, and interventions to improve healthcare access. She employs mixed methods, including surveys and medical records, to evaluate program effectiveness and community-based initiatives. Recent publications emphasize quality of life, food access, and AI tools like Amazon Echo Dot to combat loneliness in aging populations. Grants include NSF funding for home health technology (2025–2029) and a Center for Aging grant (2023) on AI and self-efficacy. Golden Apple Teaching Award (2020–2024) Michigan Road Scholar (2011) Pilot Scholar, Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (2010)








