Faculty

Lisa Eaton receives two grants from the National Institutes of Health

Lisa EatonAssociate Professor Lisa Eaton recently received two new grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She will serve as PI on an R31 from NIMH, Unified Approach to Address PrEP Cascade for BMSM. This project will involve the development of a stigma focused intervention to improve access to health care among marginalized populations.

She also will serve as Co-I on an R01 from NIDA, Estimating Mediation and Moderation Effects in HIV Incidence Prevention Trials. In this project they will conduct mediating and moderating analyses of HIV prevention trials.

Kate Dibble and Keith Bellizzi receive research award

Kate Dibble
Kate Dibble
Keith Bellizzi
Keith Bellizzi

Congratulations to graduate student Kate Dibble and Associate Professor Keith Bellizzi, who recently received a research award from the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (CTBHI). The project is titled “Genetic counseling for BRCA1/2 mutations: Patient experiences, preferences and outcomes of counseling,” and seeks to examine preferences for individual-based or family centered genetic counseling as well as capturing patient reported outcome  data on quality of life, overall health and perceived cancer risk following a positive genetic test result.

Keith serves as PI on the grant, but, in Keith’s words, “Kate developed the project to fund her dissertation research, with mentoring from me”.

Laura Donorfio receives two university teaching awards

Laura Donorfio
Laura Donorfio (L), Aynsley Diamond (R)

Associate Professor Laura Donorfio received the 2018-2019 University Teaching Fellows Award from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Laura will be partnering with CETL over the course of the next academic year on workshops and events through CETL.

Laura is also the recipient of the 2018 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Excellence in Teaching Award in Behavioral and Life Sciences.

Laura is an exceptional instructor, highly dedicated to the education of our students, particularly in Waterbury, not only through her classroom instruction, but through the many other advising and enrichment opportunities that she provides to students. In the words of one of her colleagues, Laura “engages students that most professors underestimate, and she inspires student learning to a level most teachers never reach.” And in the words of one of her former students, “I look up to Dr. Donorfio for her caring nature, her work ethic, and her contribution to UConn and HDFS. I highly encourage all of my friends and peers at UConn to take her classes because I have learned more from Dr. Donorfio than any syllabus and class description could ever suggest. She taught us how to be responsible, hardworking, free-thinking, and open-minded members of society and individuals.”