PhD Research Faculty Mentors

Edson PhD Program Faculty Mentors

Every PhD student is supported and mentored by our diverse team of faculty who are well-prepared to help guide your projects and provide ongoing feedback and advice on your research. Explore our team of faculty experts and their areas of research below.

Mentor Picture	Research Interests	Expertise Area
	Angel Algarin Angel.Algarin@asu.edu Impact of social stigma on health disparities (e.g. substance use, mental health, HIV prevention and care) among marginalized communities (e.g. sexual and gender minorities, Latinos, people who use drugs); impact of coping, resistance, and resilience mechanisms to buffer the effects of stigma on health.	Stigma HIV LGBT Health Latino Health Global Health Quantitative Research Methods
	Ross Andel randel1@asu.edu Risk factors for cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia; work, retirement and cognitive aging; disaster preparedness and quality of long-term care.	Aging Epidemiology Alzheimer's Long-term Care Dementia Healthy Aging
	Zachary Baker zachbaker@asu.edu My aim is to better understand, develop, evaluate, and disseminate technological tools and psychosocial resources that help caregivers and persons with dementia to thrive during and after the dementia caregiving process. This is accomplished through the use of advanced methods (e.g., interventions, longitudinal studies, event momentary assessment, dyadic data collection), statistics (e.g., multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, response surface analysis), and psychological theory/perspectives (e.g., self-determination theory, attachment theory, positive psychology). I also consider collaborating with my community partners an essential part of the work I do and convene the Supporting Dementia Caregivers After Death Community Advisory Board.	Healthy Aging Alzheimer's Dementia Caregivers Public and Community Health Social Health Social Psychology
	DeAnnah Byrd DeAnnah.Byrd@asu.edu Risk and protective factors for cognitive decline and dementia in older adults, particularly African American; biological mechanisms (e.g., cardiometabolic risk factors, HPA axis dysregulation, inflammation, and other stress-sensitive biomarkers) of healthy cognitive aging.	Aging/Cognitive Science Health Disparities Mobile Health Resilience/Wellness Women’s Health
	Fiorella Carlos Chavez Fiorella.Carlos.Chavez@asu.edu Application of qualitative and mixed-methodologies to understand the implications of culture, family and work-life related stressors on Latino migrant farmworker adolescents’ well-being; the effects of stress and household food insecurity on Latino/a/x families' and essential workers’ mental health.	Mixed Methods Resilience/Wellness
	Felipe Castro Felipe.Castro@asu.edu 602-496-1720 Resilient coping with stressful life events: Promoting post-traumatic growth. Psychosocial factors in diabetes prevention and management in Latino/Hispanic populations. Application of mixed Methods research designs in the cultural adaptation of prevention and treatment interventions.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Mixed Methods Resilience/Wellness
	David Coon David.W.Coon@asu.edu 602-496-0763 Design, evaluation, and translation of effective psychosocial interventions for midlife & older adults facing chronic illness (e.g., dementia, chronic depression, HIV/AIDS, cancer) and their family caregivers.	Aging/Cognitive Science Caregiving
	Joseph Daniels Joseph.A.Daniels@asu.edu Development of interventions to improve HIV, TB and cancer treatment outcomes for sexual and gender minorities and men globally; implementation science, global health, mHealth, and qualitative and community-based participatory research methods.	Cancer Global Health Implementation Science LGBTQ Health Men's Health Mobile Health HIV TB
	Kelly Davis Kelly.Cue.Davis@asu.edu 602-496-3217 Gender-based violence including sexual violence and intimate partner violence; sexual and reproductive health; sexual risk behavior; substance use and addictions; trauma. Current research focuses on theory development and expansion, mixed methods approaches, and intervention development and implementation.	Gender-based Violence Mixed Methods Sexual Health Substance Use/Abuse Trauma Women’s Health
	Julie Fleury Julie.Fleury@asu.edu 602-496-0773 Motivational determinates of primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease; particular emphasis on community building for prevention in vulnerable populations; theory testing; model generation.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions
	Hannah Giasson Hannah.Giasson@asu.edu Study of the complex interplay between views of aging and individuals’ health and well-being; study of factors that shape attitudes, biases, and beliefs about aging at the individual, interpersonal, and societal levels; the role of views of aging in people's decisions, behaviors, and health and well-being; interventions for improving views of aging across the life span.	Aging Developmental Psychology Emotion Health and Well-Being Healthy Aging Lifelong Learning Social and Emotional Development
	Aaron Guest Aaron.Guest@asu.edu 602-496-0782 Social and structural determinants of person-environment fit; influence of spatial and social networks on health; development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions to improve health outcomes among underrepresented communities (i.e., rural, sexual and gender minorities); intersection of aging and public health and environmental/planetary health.	Aging/Cognitive Science Health Disparities Health Promotion & Communication Mixed Methods
	Rachel Gur-Arie rgurarie@asu.edu Gur-Arie is a public health ethicist trained in health systems management, whose research lies at the intersection of bioethics, global health, and decision-making. Her research primarily focuses on the ethics of vaccines, trust in public health, and health equity.	Health Law and Policy Public Health Global Health Health Equity Vaccine hesitancy Ethical Decision Making
	Debra Hagler DEBRA.HAGLER@asu.edu 602-496-0802 Clinical research interests include assessment of health professionals’ continuing competence, situational/workplace learning, and clinical discourse/decision making. Educational research interests include investigating effective teaching strategies and integrating technologies such as human patient simulation into academic programs	Nursing & Interprofessional Education
	Julia Hammett Julia.Hammett@asu.edu Examining predictors of intimate partner aggression and violence among couples from low-income communities, with a particular focus on socioeconomic factors and alcohol use. Adapting and developing interventions for couples experiencing intimate partner aggression and violence.	Intimate partner violence; Alcohol use Health equity Dyadic methods
	Rodney Joseph Rodney.Joseph@asu.edu 602-496-0772 Development, implementation, and evaluation of theory-based, culturally relevant behavioral interventions to promote physical activity and reduce cardiometabolic disease risk among racial/ethnic minority women, with a particular focus on the use of innovative technologies (i.e. smartphone applications, text messaging, social media) to deliver these interventions.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Health Disparities Physical Activity/Exercise Women’s Health
	Sunny Kim Sunny.Kim@asu.edu 602-496-6789 Developing and testing the efficacy of narrative-based storytelling as a therapeutic communication/coping tool that can address deeper layers of psychosocial emotional challenges in cancer patients and caregivers. Investigating social and supportive care needs and quality of life & Heart Rate Variability (HRV) rhythms as an objective and neurophysiological assessment.	Cancer Caregiving Health Promotion & Communication
	Rachel Koffer Rachel.Koffer@asu.edu Rachel uses innovative methodologies to link stress (e.g., everyday hassles, major life events) to health and well-being across adulthood and aging. Her doctoral training at Penn State included a National Science Foundation Big Data Social Science IGERT and an NIA Pathways to Successful Aging T32. Her postdoctoral work was supported by a NHLBI Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine T32 at the University of Pittsburgh.	Aging/Cognitive Science Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Health Disparities Health Innovation and Technology Mobile Health Women’s Health
	Pauline Komnenich paulina@asu.edu 602-496-0861 Family caregiving of older adults cross culturally, characteristics of caregiver dyads, end of life issues, nursing education and interprofessional education internationally specifically in the Balkans.	Caregiving Nursing & Interprofessional Education
	Shelby Langer Shelby.Langer@asu.edu 602-496-0823 Dyadic communication, coping and emotion regulation in the context of chronic illness; cancer survivorship and caregiving; pediatric pain; and social determinants of obesity. Methodological approaches span subjective, objective and physiological assessments, and observational and experimental/ interventional designs.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Caregiving
	Linda Larkey Linda.Larkey@asu.edu 602-496-0740 Testing theory-based methods of communicating health promotion messages (including the emotional impact of Storytelling) to underserved/low-income populations, community-based participatory research practices, and examining mind-body methods (tai Chi, Qigong, Heart-focused Meditation) of alleviating emotional distress and symptoms in cancer patients and survivors.	Cancer Health Promotion & Communication
	Rebecca Lee Rebecca.E.Lee@asu.edu Implementing and disseminating innovative interventions to increase physical activity and improve dietary habits and related outcomes in Hispanic women and children in the US and Mexico using mobile and digital health strategies. Using community-based participatory research approaches and mixed methodologies (quantitative and qualitative) to guide research, policy implementation and state-of-the science best practices.	Health Disparities Health Policy Hispanic Health Mixed Methods Mobile Health Nutrition Physical Activity/Exercise Sexual Health Women’s Health
	Derek Manis Derek.Manis@asu.edu Home and Long-Term Care; Health Services Research; Primary Care; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Administrative Data	Administrative Data Epidemiology Health Economics Home and Long-Term Care Primary Care Dementia
	Molly Maxfield Molly.Maxfield@asu.edu 602-496-2311 Dementia-related anxiety among middle-aged and older adults, differences between subjective and objective memory functioning, and long-term effects of childhood maltreatment among older adults.	Aging/Cognitive Science
	Barret Michalec Barret.Michalec@asu.edu Health Occupations Education; Interactions in the Healthcare Setting; Disparities in Health and Healthcare; Experiences of Health and Illness; Empathy; Processes of Prosocial Behavior; Emotions	Health Disparities Nursing & Interprofessional Education
	Abigail Gomez Morales agomezm1@asu.edu 602-543-6672 Her research focuses on skill-building interventions for caregivers of people with dementia with the support of virtual reality and to better understand the role of caregivers and their families. Also, research activities focus on environmental concerns and how to implement greener solutions when delivering care to our community.	Aging Caregiving Alzheimer's disease Virtual Reality Gerontechnology Geen economy and sustainable development Nursing
	Chung Jung Mun ChungJung.Mun@asu.edu 602-496-0809 Investigating biopsychosocial individual differences and momentary dynamics of pain processing and coping; the role of sleep/circadian disturbances and cannabis/cannabinoid intake in pain and opioid use; and technology-based intervention programs for chronic pain and addiction. He directs the Biobehavioral Pain, Addiction, Sleep, and Momentary Experience (Bi-PAS ME) Research Laboratory.	Mobile Health Sleep and Circadian Science Substance Use/Abuse
	Janet O'Brien jeobrien@asu.edu 602-496-1415 Research and educational interests include simulation-based learning and assessment; competency-based assessment of health care professionals; simulation design and implementation utilizing standardized patients, manikins, and hybrid modalities; curriculum development; measurement; and quantitative analysis.	Simulation-based education
	Thomas Parsons Thomas.Parsons@asu.edu Integration of computational social science, neuropsychology, psychophysiology, and simulation technologies for novel assessment, modeling, and training of neurocognitive, affective, and social processes; interactions among virtual humans, actual humans, and social networks; use of novel technologies (e.g., virtual reality) and novel computational approaches (e.g., machine learning) to assess neuropsychological functioning, social cognition, and everyday functional capacities.	Neuropsychology Educational Technologies Virtual Reality Gerontechnology Ehealth Mhealth
	Alexandra Peckham Allie.Peckham@asu.edu 602-496-1333 Research aims to understand health system design, change, and impact on caregivers and other complex populations including those living with chronic conditions. Methodological approaches include qualitative and comparative health policy approaches.	Aging/Cognitive Science Caregiving Health Policy
	Megan Petrov Megan.Petrov@asu.edu 602-496-2297 Sleep health inequities across various sociodemographic/economic/age groups. The role sleep plays in the etiology of chronic disease particularly cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic pain, cancer, and metabolic conditions. Adapting and developing sleep-related interventions that improve sleep, reduce health inequities, and prevent chronic disease. Mental health issues (mood and anxiety disorders, coping with chronic illness).	Aging/Cognitive Science Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Health Disparities Maternal/Pediatric Health Microbiologic and Omics approaches Sleep and Circadian Science
	Keenan Pituch Keenan.Pituch@asu.edu 602-496-2480 Statistical methods particularly those used in intervention studies, including multivariate statistics, linear mixed modeling, missing data analysis, intensive longitudinal modeling, and structural equation modeling.	Biostatistics
	Janet Pohl janet.pohl@asu.edu 602-496-0749 The health implications of family-caregiver and older adult social isolation. The role of technology use across generations of family-caregivers. The conceptual definition and measurement of the social isolation construct for research and clinical assessment – intervention development to decrease social isolation.	Aging/Cognitive Science Caregiving Nursing & Interprofessional Education
	Elizabeth Reifsnider Elizabeth.Reifsnider@asu.edu 602-496-1394 Growth, development, nutrition, and health of low-income women and children including interventions to reduce growth stunting in children, obesity in women and children, increase breastfeeding, and supporting care coordination for children with medical complexity. Interventions focus on Community-based participatory research (CBPR) in partnership with community. Additional interests are how breastfeeding influences the gut microbiome and subsequent child growth. A new area of focus is the impact of caring for COVID-19 patients on nursing staff.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Maternal/Pediatric Health
	Alyssa Robillard Alyssa.Robillard@asu.edu 602-496-1498 Health education and promotion (and disease prevention) using community-engaged approaches. Health disparities/health equity in marginalized communities. Development, implementation, and evaluation of theoretically based interventions. Qualitative research. Areas of interest: HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment; narratives in public health, HIV workforce; incarceration and health.	Health Disparities Health Promotion & Communication Sexual Health
	Heather Ross heather.m.ross@asu.edu Health equity and policy, with special interests in homelessness, dementia, mental health crisis, public safety, low literacy, digital equity, and information literacy in the developing world. Co-Director of SolarSPELL Health. Dr. Ross maintains an active clinical practice as an adult nurse practitioner in cardiac electrophysiology.	Health Policy Science & Technology Policy Public Safety Implementation Science Homelessness Cardiology
	Joseph Saenz Joseph.L.Saenz@asu.edu Understanding and explaining disparities in late-life cognitive outcomes using socioeconomic status, marriage, resilience, and environmental exposures throughout the life-course; health of the Mexican origin population on both sides of the United States Mexico border.	Health Disparities Cognitive Aging Marriage and Family Resilience Food Insecurity Air Pollution Latin America Latino Aging Quantitative Methods Structural Equation Modeling
	Gabriel Shaibi Gabriel.Shaibi@asu.edu 602-496-0909 Cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk in overweight populations; fitness and disease risk and the impact of exercise on the physiologic health status of overweight youth.	Cardiometabolic Diseases/Conditions Maternal/Pediatric Health Physical Activity/Exercise
	Michael Todd mike.todd@asu.edu 602-496-0917 Quantitative methods, especially as they apply to multilevel research questions, including intensive longitudinal designs (e.g., daily diary, ecological momentary assessment) and cluster randomized trials. Substantive interests include stress, affect, coping, substance use, physical activity, and health behavior models.	Biostatistics
	Johannah Uriri-Glover Johannah.Uriri-Glover@asu.edu 602-496-0769 Gerontology; nursing interventions which will address problems associated with activities of daily living in persons with dementia cared for by family members or nursing assistants.	Aging/Cognitive Science Caregiving
	Shawn Youngstedt Shawn.Youngstedt@asu.edu 602-496-0242 Current research is funded by the DoD. We are examining ways to accelerate adjustment to simulated jet lag in the laboratory. We are also proposing to examine whether improvements in circadian synchronization and sleep can help cancer patients.	Sleep and Circadian Science
	Fang Yu Fang.Yu.2@asu.edu 602-496-0969 Fang Yu is a leading scientist in developing and testing exercise interventions to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Her vision is to improve function and quality of life for older adults with dementia and their family caregivers. Since 2005, she has been testing the effects and mechanisms of aerobic exercise alone and in combination with other interventions such as iPad-based or computerized cognitive training on cognition, while using blood and imaging biomarkers to study mechanisms.	Aging/Cognitive Science Caregiving Physical Activity/Exercise