UConn Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy Recognizes 2024 Faculty Excellence Awardees

UConn’s Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP) is recognizing its 2024 Faculty Excellence Awards recipients.

These awards highlight faculty who have significantly contributed to scientific research, mentoring, research on racial and ethnic health disparities, and community-engaged health research at InCHIP and UConn.

“InCHIP’s Excellence Awards honor the innovative work affiliated faculty are doing to advance health behavior change research, teaching, and mentorship at UConn. I am excited to congratulate our 2024 Excellence Award recipients,” says InCHIP Director Tricia Leahey.

The awardees will be recognized during InCHIP’s Fall 2024 annual meeting and in its annual report. They will also receive funds to support their program of research.

The 2024 Excellence Award recipients include:

Excellence Award for Junior Faculty Research

Neal Glaviano

Neal Glaviano is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR). Glaviano’s research interests include developing treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and improve quality of life for individuals who experience chronic kneecap pain. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed studies and has 13 publications in review, earning him an H-index of 23, an i10 index of 34, and more than 2,000 citations.

Currently, Glaviano is leading a $1.49 million Department of Defense-funded study exploring two different interventions to treat knee pain and improve function and mobility. In addition to his research achievements, Glaviano is an outstanding mentor to doctoral and master’s students, serves as the Director of Clinical Education for the Master of Science in Athletic Training program, and is the Director of Graduate Studies in his department. This program has consistently ranked among the top three kinesiology doctoral programs in the country.

Excellence for Research on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and Health Outcomes of Racism

Christina Ross

Christina Ross is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing whose research focuses on understanding how systemic factors like racism impact health outcomes among marginalized youth and promoting positive youth development. Ross has included and amplified these voices in her research and has developed trauma-informed interventions.  Notably, Ross had a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing that explored sexual risk management among African American girls in foster care and shed light on the challenges they face

In addition to her research accomplishments, Ross has an impressive track record of scholarly achievements, including a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota. She is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Minority Health International Research Training Global Scholar, the recipient of numerous significant awards like the Jonas Philanthropies National Minority Health Month Scholar Spotlight, Jonas Nurse Scholar Alumna, and the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Betty Irene Moore Nurse Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators. Ross is an influential professor and mentor who has effectively incorporated her research into the classroom in a manner that resonates with students of diverse backgrounds.

Community-Engaged Health Research Excellence Award

Shayna Cunningham

Shayna Cunningham is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at UConn Health whose research focuses on promoting health equity for structurally marginalized populations. She has extensive experience working with community-based organizations to enhance their research and service capabilities. She is currently leading a community-based participatory research project aimed at characterizing, identifying root causes of, and developing interventions to improve well-being of community health workers in Connecticut. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cunningham was part of a collaborative team of faculty, students, and community organizations that conducted a survey to understand COVID-19’s impact on communities and used the responses to better meet their needs. She also served as a mentor and evaluation consultant for the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE)’s New Haven Health Leaders program, which trains residents from low-income communities in research and pairs them with Yale University researchers.

Cunningham leads the Department of Public Health Sciences’ global health initiative and is developing partnerships with universities in Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Vietnam to foster educational and research collaborations.

Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award

Amy Gorin

Amy Gorin is a professor of Psychological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, whose research interests focus on developing novel treatment interventions to improve long-term weight loss and maintenance for couples, and obesity prevention strategies for young adults. Previously the director of InCHIP, she now serves as Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives at UConn.

Gorin is a committed mentor to numerous faculty members, and undergraduate and graduate students. She has served as a mentor for the University’s Office of Undergraduate Research’s BOLD Women’s Leadership Network and the Mentoring Aspiring Graduate Students and Building an Inclusive Community (MAGIC) program. Gorin has guided junior faculty members in successfully applying for external funding. With her mentorship, these faculty have secured awards from the NIH and other funders. In 2021, Gorin initiated and led a structured mentorship program at InCHIP for post-tenure faculty to gain experience in academic leadership. That same year, Gorin was named as a finalist in the research innovation and leadership category for the annual Connecticut Technology Councils and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology’s 2021 Women of Innovation Awards.