Andi Schwingel, PhD, Lab Director
Professor | andiara@illinois.edu | Learn More
I study ways to improve the health of underserved populations through community health programs that are culturally sensitive, sustainable, and often implemented in partnership with Community Health Workers. My research promotes health equity by informing public health practice and training CHWs to promote healthy lifestyles within their communities.
Kristen DiFilippo, PhD, RDN
Teaching Associate Professor | ashrafi3@illinois.edu
I study ways to improve health through nutrition interventions. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, my research focuses on using mHealth to support behavior change to improve chronic disease outcomes.
Tim Paiva Neto, PhD, Lab Coordinator
Post Doctoral Fellow | tim28@illinois.edu
I study Organization of Health Systems with a focus on Health Care Models, in the Public Health area. I also carry out research related to the promotion of physical activity in community contexts based on implementation science and research on the environmental determinants of physical activity, particularly in the older adults.
Juliana Watanabe Soufen
PhD Candidate, Community Health | jw141@illinois.edu
My research interest is to understand the societal impact of large-scale infrastructure improvement projects in the health of vulnerable families. Particularly, I would like to answer how the community health programs truly impact people’s lives using a thoughtful evaluation process, which includes, among others, the beneficiaries’ voices.
Grace Park, MD
PhD Student, Community Health | gleepark@illinois.edu | Learn More
My research interests focus on advancing health professions education through systems-minded, community-engaged, and culturally responsive learning and research. Building on my experience as a clinician-educator and academic scholar, I am particularly passionate about integrating social determinants of health, cultural humility, and interdisciplinary collaboration into health professions training.
Scarlett Roe
PhD Student | ssr14@illinois.edu
I am particularly passionate about Public Health and its social determinants in vulnerable communities. My line of research focuses on improving healthcare access for underserved populations through equitable health policies that prioritize children, women, and the elderly.
Rafael Guimaraes de Lima e Silva
PhD Candidate, Community Health | rafael5@illinois.edu
My research interest is related to the development of nutrition apps that can improve the quality of health in the community. Specifically, I study a new model of nutrient intake recommendation based on the energy expenditure, which allows a personalized recommendation of micronutrients.
Emmanuel Dubure
PhD Student, Community Health | edubure2@illinois.edu
My research interests include neurodegenerative disease and aging, as well as developing and implementing culturally adapted behavioral interventions in Latine populations to improve brain health outcomes.
Iffat Noor
PhD Student, Community Health | iffatn2@illinois.edu
My research work revolves around the modeling and behavior of SARS-CoV-2.
Diana Morales
PhD Candidate, Kinesiology | dianam3@illinois.edu
My research interests include neurodegenerative disease and aging, as well as developing and implementing culturally adapted behavioral interventions in Latine populations to improve brain health outcomes.
Ana Selzer
ADL Research Collaborator | als17@illinois.edu
My research interests focus on strategies to increase physical activity levels to promote health equity. I am particularly interested in low-cost physical activity interventions such as active transportation and the Community Health Workers’ model for preventing chronic diseases in vulnerable populations.