Faculty Activities

Note: Clicking on a subject link will launch an email window with which you can contact CHHS faculty members currently researching in that subject area.

The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), has a diverse faculty of 75 full time members in areas such as nursing, engineering, health economics, health administration, health services research, public health, statistics, exercise physiology, rehabilitation science, law, social work, and nutrition. Adjunct faculty with special expertise in various content areas enrich the educational offerings for students in the College. The international community of the CHHS is reflected in its faculty, student body, and programs. Nursing graduate programs in the College are consistently rated in the top 50 nationally by the U.S. News and World Report.

Our faculty place a high value on the scholarship of teaching and research. In this respect, they are invited speakers around the world, serve on grant review panels, and publish in respected research journals. Faculty conduct research in a variety of areas important for the future. A recent National Library of Medicine grant funded research on decision support for neonatal intensive care nursing. Several faculty members have programs of research around chronic illness considerations. Another focus across the College includes behavioral interventions, such as smoking relapse in mothers of infants, child health promotion, substance abuse counseling, life review in the terminally ill, and nutrition in Nicaraguan adolescent girls. Other areas of research include end of life care for frail older adults, bioterrorism and emergency preparedness, 2nd degree student educational experiences, and International Health Epidemiology.

The Center for Health Care Policy, Research, and Ethics serves as a unique focus for the College in disseminating scholarly activities and research in health services research and policy. The Office of Healthcare Ethics has undertaken scholarship related to whistleblowing, quality of life concerns, and ethics of Alzheimer's Disease.

The College has a unique Assisted Living/Senior Housing Program, which enhances undergraduate and graduate health administration programs. Funding from the Hartford Foundation provides fellowships for graduate students in gerontology and specialized content in gerontology is integrated into undergraduate nursing courses at both the junior and senior levels. Collaborative relationships with over 90 community agencies provide diverse experiences for community-based learning and facilitate faculty research. Clinical faculty with competence in specialized practice areas help to fulfill the College's mission to prepare graduates to enter the health and human services workforce as competent practitioners.

The College values excellence in teaching and our faculty engage in the scholarship of teaching. Three CHHS faculty have received the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Teaching Award.Five CHHS faculty have received University-wide Teaching Excellence Awards. The College has a strong writing program and works closely with the University Writing Across the Curriculum program, rated 4th in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

Representative List of Faculty and their Current Research Areas: