Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Research Grants Fund Eight New TTUHSC Initiatives

• By Kate Gollahon
• November 11, 2022
• Research

In August of this year, eight teams within the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) community were chosen as recipients of research grants offered through the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in collaboration with the Office of Research and the Office of the Provost.

These grants of up to $15,000 are designed to support research initiatives led by team members with a connection to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“By investing in these interprofessional research collaborations, we are supporting our team members’ ideas and advancing our strategic plan,” said Jody Randall, vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “While it was our first year for this collaboration, we were very pleased to receive an applicant pool that spanned many areas of our academic health enterprise.”

Below are the exceptional eight initiatives that received funding, effective Sept.1, and the investigators involved with each initiative.

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  Duke Appiah, Ph.D., is one of many TTUHSC researchers to recently receive DEI research grants.

  Assessment of Geographical, Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in Lubbock County and West Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
  
  • Duke Appiah, Ph.D.; Alice Villalobos, Ph.D.; Richard Greenhill, DHA; David Baba, Ph.D; and Chip Shaw Ed.D.
• Curriculum Development and Assessment of Pediatric Residents Training in Social Determinants of Health
  
  • Olubukunola Adesanya, M.D.; Rachel May Anderson, M.D.; Skyler McLaurin-Jiang, M.D.; Nikita Singhi, M.D.; Tetyana Vasylyeva, M.D.; Maha Taranishl, M.D.; Chukwunonye Ogbuji, M.D.; Jane Carter, M.D.; and Veronica Prosser
• Exploring the Use of Auxiliary Technology as Methods to Enhance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of Simulation-Based Experiences
  
  • Kathryn Whitcomb, DNP; Guy Gilbert; Kelsey Launder; Sharon Decker, Ph.D.; and Sandra Caballero
• Holistic Admissions as a Process to Increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Feasibility Study of an Evidence-Based Admissions Redesign
  
  • Rosalinda Jimenez, Ed.D.; Pat Francis-Johnson, DNP; Lisa Campbell, DNP; Chris Esperat Ph.D.; Huaxin Song, Ph.D.; and Lauren Sullivan, Ed.D.
• Implementing Individual Mental Health Treatment and Respite for Hispanic Informal Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia
  
  • Jonathan Singer, Ph.D. and Volker Neugebauer, M.D., Ph.D.
• Provider Microskills and Patients’ Lived Experiences: A Pilot Study
  
  • Christopher Townsend Ph.D.; Tobias Kroll Ph.D.; Rosalinda Jimenez, Ed.D.; Toby Brooks, Ph.D.; and Alec Cattell, Ph.D.
• Interprofessional Mass Casualty Simulation as a Vehicle to Teach Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity
  
  • Renée Bogschutz, Ph.D.
• Establishing a student-centered mentoring program for medical students underrepresented in medicine (URM) at the multi-campus system of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
  
  • Alice Villalobos, Ph.D.; Katie Corkill, M.D.; Raja Kiani, M.D.; Kenneth Iwuji, M.D.

The grant period is one year, spanning the current fiscal year: September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023. Once the grant period has come to a close, grant recipients will present their research initiative to share the findings of their work with the TTUHSC community.

The initiatives each provide a means to either advance DEI research and scholarly activities or support DEI activities within the curriculum to impact student learning and institutional culture. By providing financial support to these eight initiatives, TTUHSC promotes the development of research on health disparities and health equity, underrepresented populations-based research, and the incorporation of DEI across disciplines.

“These meritorious proposals were selected from a very strong application pool based on a collaborative review process including the Offices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Provost and Research and Innovation,” said Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D., senior vice president of the Office of Research and Innovation. “We look forward to the outcomes of these proposals and learning how the findings can help our university identify best practices to strengthen our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”