Job Search: Assistant Professor of Health Studies
Health Studies Welcomes New Faculty Member
Dr. Nigel James earned a dual title PhD in Health Policy and Administration and Demography from The Penn State University and an MPH from Thammesat University (Thailand). He previously worked for the UN Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Department of Health in Zimbabwe. He will be teaching HS 101 Global Health in the fall and a new course HS 341 Comparative Health Systems in the spring. His research utilizes econometric and spatial analytical models to evaluate and address global health issues.Health Studies Students and Faculty attend Richmond Forum
Several students and professors from UR’s Department of Health Studies attended the Richmond Forum presentation by Dr. Anthony Fauci in March 2024. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), spoke about his desire from a young age to serve the greater good; his infectious disease research; and his decades-long career in government service.
The students were thrilled to be able to spend an evening with one of the most recognizable figures in public health. Matthew Karen ’24 was pleased that Fauci’s speech “affirmed the knowledge and values [he’d] gained from Health Studies courses.” Ella Karcewski ’26 appreciated Fauci’s emphasis on inequalities in health care both within the U.S. and internationally, explaining that “people are suffering disproportionately, and that is a dominant public health issue we need to address as future leaders in public health.” Ariana Sosa ’24 was encouraged by the audience’s expressions of support for public health action.
In addition to meeting Fauci, the students enjoyed sharing this experience with their professors. Evan Wolff ’24 thought this was a wonderful opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom and engage in powerful discussion after listening to a leader in the field noting that his favorite part of the evening was “debriefing after the talk with my professors and gaining new context for Dr. Fauci’s talking points.”
Internships provide senior with insights into health policies and their impact on communities.
Courtney Blondino, assistant professor of health studies, published “Latent Classes of Comorbid Substance Use and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms and Their Stability in U.S. Adults Over Time: Findings from the PATH Study Waves 1–3 (2013–2016)” in Substance Use & Misuse.
View BioRick Mayes, professor of health policy, presented “Medicare Advantage’s Role in Accelerating the Expansion of ‘Big Med’” at the Interdisciplinary Association of Population Health Sciences (IAPHS) 2024 Annual Meeting.
View BioRick Mayes, professor of health policy, presented “Social and Environmental Drivers of Health” for Shenandoah University’s Physician Assistant Program.
View BioRick Mayes, professor of health policy, presented “5 Key Facts about U.S. Healthcare and Their Ethical Implications” for the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
View BioIn The News
Six University of Richmond students have been offered Gilman scholarships to support their study abroad experiences.
Students will live and learn in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, France, India, South Africa, and Taiwan.
Health studies professor Kathryn H. Jacobsen, an epidemiologist, is quoted.