MARCO TEÓRICO
1.12 Sanción al Taxismo Informal
The program shall pursue an active research program, consistent with its mission, through which its faculty and students contribute to the knowledge base of the public health
disciplines, including research directed at improving the practice of public health.
a. A description of the program’s research activities, including policies, procedures and practices that support research and scholarly activities.
A multidisciplinary approach to research is central to the mission of the MPH program at Mason. The program promotes faculty and student engagement in scholarly activities and works closely with the University to identify and facilitate collaborative research opportunities in areas that support the science and practice of public health. There is a sustained commitment by the Program and College to continued to a high quality of research and to increasing the quantity of high quality research.
Policies, Procedures and Practices
All tenured and tenure-track faculty in the MPH program are expected to engage in research and scholarly activities advancing knowledge in the field of public health. The policies of both the University and CHHS detail expectations for research and scholarly activities for faculty of all ranks. Current University research policies are summarized in the Faculty Handbook (available in the resource file). More specific research expectations for tenure concentration faculty in CHHS can be found in the Promotion and Tenure Manual (available in the resource file).
Research funding at Mason grows continually. In 2011, Mason received $129 million in research awards, an 18.5% increase from 2010. Of this funding, 85% was from federal funds, which supported over 400 jobs in the region. Nearly 56% of Mason’s 2011 research funding supported the next generation of scientists and engineers, as well as graduate and undergraduate researchers. Mason received 20 major awards in 2011, compared with 14 in 2010. Eight of these awards were funded at amounts greater than Mason’s highest award in 2010.
Mason is one of 74 public universities that the Carnegie Foundation has designated a research institution of “high research activity.” The Carnegie designation is based on the number of faculty engaged in research, research expenditures, and the number of doctoral degrees
awarded by the institution. Mason coordinates its grant and contract activities through the Office of Research Development (ORD), the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA).
ORD helps faculty, students, and staff identify and seek funding to increase Mason’s funded research base. ORD manages the internal selection process for limited submission grant
opportunities; coordinates institutional activities to identify funding information from outside entities and disseminates this information to units; provides a variety of seminars and workshops; supports cooperative and collaborative research activities at Mason; and offers individualized consulting sessions to faculty and research staff on the identification of funding opportunities and advises on the appropriateness of funding sources and strategies for interactions with agencies.
OSP is the pre- and post-award administration office for all externally sponsored projects for Mason. OSP assists with proposal budget development and proposal submission and reviews and signs off on all proposals to external sponsors. OSP reviews, negotiates, and executes all contracts with the University that involve sponsored projects. When awards are received, OSP generates budgets in Banner. OSP works with researchers, departmental administrators, and other administrators to resolve problems of institutional cost sharing, contractual terms, and budget matters. Changes to the accounts, communication with sponsors, and project closeout are also coordinated through OSP. OSP reviews and advises the Mason research community on matters of new or revised federal and state laws, rules, and regulations that affect research administration.
ORIApromotes ethical and responsible conduct of research. ORIA provides policies,
procedures, support, training, and advice to aid researchers with compliance to federal, state, university, and local regulations related to research. ORIA identifies compliance risks and communicates those risks to the research community. ORIA monitors and investigates instances of noncompliance to protect the reputation of Mason research. ORIA also supports the
implementation of research compliance programs, including: Human Subjects Protection
Program, Animal Care Program, Conflict of Interest, Research Misconduct, Export Control, and Responsible Conduct of Research Education.
Faculty members’ research in CHHS focuses on improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The search for solutions to health and social problems often involves multidisciplinary research teams and a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Faculty research projects are designed to produce results useful in shaping evidence- based practice and policy at local, state, national, and global levels. Current research in CHHS clusters around six broad foci:
• Access to health and social services
• Determinants of health behaviors
• Healthcare financing and efficiency
• Child and adolescent nutrition
• Function and rehabilitation in chronic illness and disability
• Health informatics
One of the primary functions of the CHHS Office of Research and Program Evaluation is to strengthen the research infrastructure important to faculty and student research. Additionally, the office coordinates evaluations of academic programs, including university-wide
accreditations. In carrying out these primary functions, office personnel interact regularly with individual faculty members, the Provost’s Office, the Dean of CHHS, OSP, similar offices in Mason’s other colleges and schools, and administrators in CHHS academic units. General services provided to support faculty research include:
• Arranging internal and external reviews of journal manuscripts and funding
proposals;
• Identifying funding sources for faculty and student research projects;
• Assisting faculty members and OSP in the preparation of funding proposals;
• Providing post-award support to faculty members with externally funded projects;
• Developing and organizing research seminars, symposia, and presentations;
• Disseminating faculty and student research activities on CHHS and University
websites; and
• Maintaining a database on faculty research publications, presentations, grants, and
contracts.
Funding sources for the CHHS research portfolio include:
• AARP
• CDC – National Center for Health Statistics
• Center for Studying Health System Change
• Inova Health System
• Institute for Geriatric Social Work
• The John A. Hartford Foundation
• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• PNC Foundation
• RCM Health Care Services
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Virginia Center on Aging
• Virginia Department of Health
• World Health Organization
As evidenced by the support services and resources described above, the University and CHHS are actively working to increase the research productivity of its faculty investigators. MPH Faculty Research Activities:
Listed in Attachment I are MPH faculty academic activities (scholarly production), including peer-reviewed publication, academic textbooks, and presentations at professional meetings.
b. A description of current community-based research activities and/or those undertaken in collaboration with health agencies and community-based organizations. Formal research agreements with such agencies should be identified.
HIV Stigma Reduction Project
Two faculty within the MPH program, Drs. Rick Zimmerman and Lisa Lindley, are currently collaborating with the Fairfax County Health Department and the Northern Virginia HIV/AIDS Clergy Council to conduct an assessment (survey) of basic HIV-related knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, and experiences of members of nine local, predominately African
American, Baptist churches. Results from the survey will be used to develop curricula for youth and adults in the same congregations to educate about HIV/AIDS, reduce HIV-related stigma, and encourage HIV testing and other preventive behaviors. No formal research agreement has been established for this project.
Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax
A community health coalition, “The Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax,” has existed in the community for approximately three years. Over the past year, Dr. Lisa Lindley was involved in the community assessment project, and Dr. Rick Zimmerman was involved in the partnership, as a co-chair of the Healthy Lifestyles strategic issue team. The County and the community received a large 3-year grant from CDC, a “Community Transformation Grant”. The Healthy Lifestyles group is tasked with providing information regarding policy, systems, and
environmental changes to make in the county to help reduce chronic disease and reduce health disparities.
The Grassroots Project (TGP)
Dr. Rick Zimmerman is working with The Grassroots Project, a non-profit organization in Washington, DC to evaluate its program that uses college athletes to conduct facilitated skill- building to reduce sexual risk-taking with middle school youth in Washington, DC public schools. Several programs have been conducted and a collaborative grant proposal to the National Institutes for Health for a randomized controlled trial to test the school-based athlete- facilitated intervention was submitted in September 2012.
Nova Salud Collaboration
Nova Salud, Inc. is an organization that has been conducting HIV prevention activities in Northern Virginia for the last 6 years. The program has begun collaboration with them to
conducted research and evaluation and to involve our students in their work. Recently, a collaborative proposal was submitted to the Virginia Department of Health to evaluate HIV prevention programs for Latino MSM and transgender individuals in October, 2012.
c. A list of current research activity of all primary and secondary faculty identified in 4.1.a and 4.1.b., including amount and source of funds, for each of the last three years. This data must be presented in table format and include at least the following: a) principal investigator, b) project name, c) period of funding, d) source of funding, e) amount of total award, f) amount of current year’s award, g) whether research is community based, and h) whether research provides for student involvement. Only research funding should be reported here; extramural funding for service or training grants should be reported elsewhere. See CEPH Data Template E.
Table 3.1.c (next page) includes totals of intramural and extramural research contract and grant awards to MPH faculty at Mason. Unless otherwise indicated, the Principal Investigator for each project is an MPH core faculty member.
Project Name Principal Investigator & Department or Concentration*
Funding Source Funding Period Start/End Amount Total Award Amount
2009-‐10 Amount 2010-‐11 Amount 2011-‐12 Community-‐Based Y/N Student Participation Y/N
Measuring access to radio health communications in rural Guatemala Kathryn Jacobsen (co-‐PI with J.K. Nelson) Mason Center for Global Studies Summer 2010 $5,000 $5,000 Yes Yes Obesity in relation
to complex diet and geographical life history factors
Cara Frankenfeld Mason Creative
Award AY 2009-‐2010 $4,866 $4,866 No Yes Soy health benefits
in HIV-‐positive pregnant women
Cara Frankenfeld
(co-‐PI) Soy Health Research Program Incentive Award
2010 $10,000 $10,000 No No
Outlook on George Mason University: LGBTQ photovoice
Lisa Lindley Mason Creative
Award October 2011 – April 2012
$4,000 $4,000 Yes Yes Public Health
Workforce Development
Lisa Pawloski (PI) and Michael Mink (co-‐Investigator) Health Research and Services Administration September 2010 – August 2013 $2,494,755 (grant total for all partners) $73,226 $72,510 Yes Yes
Evaluation of family life education teacher training program in VA
Lisa Lindley Virginia Department of Education December 2011 – August 2012 $12,474 $12,474 No Yes Secondary trauma in ICC OP staff
Carlos Sluzki International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor
2011 $6,000 $6,000 No Yes
d. Identification of measures by which the program may evaluate the success of its research activities, along with data regarding the program’s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. For example, programs may concentration dollar amounts of
research funding, significance of findings (eg, citation references), extent of research translation (eg, adoption by policy or statute), dissemination (eg, publications in peer-reviewed
publications, presentations at professional meetings), and other indicators.
The comprehensive program evaluation system, described in detail in Criterion 1.2, includes an entire section on assessing the quality and effectiveness of faculty and student research. Below are the goals and objectives related to research, as reported in Criterion 1.2. Table 3.1.d Research Goals and Objectives
Goals Yearly Objectives 2009-‐2010 2010-‐2011 2011-‐2012
50% of core faculty will publish at least two peer-‐reviewed articles each year.
Met – 71% Met – 88% Met – 67% 50% of core faculty will be included as
PI or co-‐PI on at least one submitted research grant proposal every two years.
N/A Met – 56% Met – 63%
70% of core faculty will work with graduate students on mentored research projects each year.
Not collected Not Met – 63% Met – 100% A minimum of four students will be
offered GRA or TA positions each year. Met – 8 GAs Met – 6 GAs Met – 8 GAs Faculty will conduct and disseminate high-‐ quality collaborative research that contributes to advancing public health.
50% of core faculty will publish at least one paper every two years with a co-‐author from another department or institution.
N/A Met – 88% Met – 67%
e. A description of student involvement in research.
Extensive training in public health research methodology is infused throughout the program curriculum, in core courses and each concentration. Many of these courses require students to complete research projects, and faculty members encourage students to pursue their own research projects through independent study. A variety of formal mechanisms help involve students in supervised research projects with faculty or community partners.
Practica. Due to the program’s strong network with public health agencies, hospitals, government, and non-profit agencies throughout the Northern Virginia/Washington metropolitan area, graduate students receive research experience through practica at numerous sites (see Table 2.4.b). Practicum placements provide students with a wide variety of practice-based experiences in the field, some of which include research projects. Students evaluate the process and impact of their projects in the practicum final report and share their experiences at the Practicum Poster Session.
Research Assistants. Students are highly encouraged to collaborate with faculty mentors as a Graduate Assistant, volunteer, or student in an independent study course. Each year, the department awards a limited number of Graduate Assistantships (GAs) to incoming and current students. These competitive awards are based on student achievement and interest in faculty research and come with annual stipends of up to $20,000. Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) work with assigned faculty mentors and contribute to ongoing faculty research projects. Table 3.1.e provides some examples of GRA student involvement in faculty research.
Table 3.1.e: Students Involved in Faculty Research: AY 2011-‐2012
MPH Student Faculty Mentor Research Topic/Project
Julia Elkind Lisa Lindley LGBT campus climate photovoice project, evaluation of family life education program, and HPV vaccination
Steven Hicks Josh Rosenberger Gay men’s health and wellness Gagan Jindal Cara Frankenfeld Behavioral epidemiology (textbook) Suzanne Landi Lisa Lindley HPV vaccination
Matt Makara Cara Frankenfeld Food environment; LGBT health risk assessment Molly McClanahan Michael Mink Media and nutrition information
Tim Sharma Michael Mink Media and nutrition information Sarah Shoemaker Rick Zimmerman and
Lisa Lindley
HIV stigma reduction in faith-‐based community Tony Craddock Rebecca Dawson Global climate change and public health impacts Hafsa Abdirahman Kathryn Jacobsen Access to healthcare in Sierra Leone
Takahiro Hasumi Kathryn Jacobsen Access to healthcare in South Africa
Student Research Grants. In AY 2011-2012, GCH introduced Student Research Grants to support independent student research projects. These grants provide support for students enrolled in the MPH or MS programs who are pursing research projects beyond class assignments. While the research proposed must be the student’s original idea, if funded the project requires
collaboration with a faculty member GCH. All proposals that demonstrate scientific merit in the areas of community health, health education, disease prevention, health promotion,
epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and global health are considered, with no preference among these areas. Two students were selected as recipients for the award. The program is currently under review; while under review, calls for grant proposals are on hold.
Outstanding Student Achievement in Research Awards. Every May, the program
recognizes outstanding achievement for graduating MPH students with a variety of distinguished awards announced at the convocation ceremony. In Spring 2012, the faculty revised the awards structure to recognize student achievement in three categories: research, academics, and
leadership. Below are the criteria for the Outstanding Student Research award:
Award Category Criteria Annual Number
Outstanding
Student Research •• Demonstrated competence in research methods Initiative in pursuing grant or research opportunities • Publication and presentation record
• Contribution to research projects
Up to 5% of the graduating class
Every spring, GCH faculty members nominate students for each award category. There is no limit on the number of nominees per faculty member. Any student who graduated in the preceding summer or fall or will graduate in the current spring is eligible for nomination. The Graduate Programs Committee manages the process, receives and reviews nominations, makes final selections, reports award winners to Student Affairs, and procures plaques or certificates. In May 2012, two graduating MPH students were recognized with this prestigious award at
convocation.
Research Day. Every spring, CHHS hosts its annual Research Day. The purpose of the event is to inform the Mason community about current research by CHHS faculty and students. The program agenda consists of oral presentations, posters, and award recognitions.
Outstanding research posters are recognized at the event, on the CHHS website, and Mason Accolades. In Spring 2012, Lisa Lindley, Associate Professor in GCH and MPH core faculty member, along with her colleagues at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, received 2nd Honorable Mention for their research poster: "Invisible and
At-Risk: Teen Pregnancy Among Sexual Minority High School Students in New York City". Honorable mentions were also given to a number of MPH students:
• 1st Honorable Mention was awarded to MPH students Mariaelena Pierobon, Mariam Barak, Sahel Hazrati, and Global & Community Health faculty member, Kathryn Jacobsen, for their research poster Alcohol Consumption and Violence amongst Argentinean Adolescents.
• 2nd Honorable Mention was awarded to MPH student Julia Elkind, Global & Community Health faculty member, Lisa Lindley, and MPH student Suzanne Landi for their research poster HPV Vaccination Among Male College Students: An Opportunity for Prevention • 3rd Honorable Mention was awarded to MPH students Takahiro Hasumi, Fatimah Ahsan,
MS Global Health students Caitlin Couper and Jose Aguayo, and Global & Community Health faculty member, Kathryn Jacobsen, for their research poster Parental Involvement and Mental Well-Being of Indian Adolescents
Student Research Publications. Faculty members are encouraged to work on publications with student co-authors, either as part of GRA work, formal independent studies, class work, or informal collaborations. Table 3.1.f summarizes publications from the past three years.
Additional publications are in press or under revision. Copies of the published and in press studies are available in the resource file.
Year Published Citation
2010 Bankoski AJ*, Jacobsen KH, Pawloski LR, Moore JB, Gaffney KF, Iaimovich S, Campos MC. Relationship between Chilean children’s reported dietary practices and their parents’ preferences for their consumption. Revista Chilena de Nutrición 2010;37:352-‐ 358
2010 Jacobsen KH, Bankoski AJ*. Predictors of compliance with scheduled surgery in rural Guatemala. Int Health 2010;2:206-‐211
2010 Jacobson KH, Bankoski AJ*. Predictors of compliance with scheduled surgery in rural Guatemala. Int Health 2010;2:206-‐211