Strategic Plan Letter from Dean Hakim Goals About
Research
Make innovative discoveries for lasting impact
We will push the boundaries of public health science to improve both health and health equity through rigorous, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research.
Research is an integral part of the mission and function of MEZCOPH. Our faculty, staff, and students have profoundly contributed to reducing health inequity and promoting the health and wellness of regional and global populations via conducting innovative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged research.
We will continue to build on our existing strength in several research areas to advance health equity for diverse populations using a range of methodologies. In compliment, our several Centers and Institutes each focus on different health and policy challenges, and they provide unique knowledge and community partnerships that enable us to conduct collaborative, strategic research projects.
Facing regional and global challenges to public health, MEZCOPH has identified five strategic areas for focused research development: 1) climate change and health, 2) Indigenous health, 3) global health, 4) mental health, and 5) digital epidemiology and health innovations, which all significantly impact men and women, old and young, and rural and urban populations from different racial and ethnic backgrounds and with different working and life experience.
“Our research makes a real difference in people’s lives, and we will continue to build on our strengths to nurture the next generation of public health researchers who will work closely with diverse communities to meet this moment and find health solutions using new digital tools and techniques.”
Zhao Chen PhD, MPH
Associate Dean for Research
Goals & Strategy
Resource Enrichment
Strengthen our efforts and ability to enrich our research resources with a focus on expanding funding support, especially research grants from NIH.
- Increase External Research Funding with Strategic Areas: Climate Change & Health, Global Health, Mental Health, Indigenous Health, and Digital Epidemiology & Health Innovations. (10% INCREASE)
- Enhance the Number and Dollar Amount of Funded NIH Grants. (15% INCREASE)
Community-Engaged-Research Enhancement
Create synergies between community service, practice-based research, and translational research with leadership and resource development.
- Increase MEZCOPH researchers’ community engagement potential and activity (>80% of MEZCOPH researchers will work with communities for research)
Investigator Cultivation
Recruit, Retain, and Support Brilliant and Motivated Trainees and Investigators, Including Students, Postdoctoral Researchers, and Junior Faculty from Diverse Backgrounds.
- Support departments and centers to submit at least two training grants per year.
- Have 3 funded training grants in our college within five years.
- Ensure that all NIH PIs are informed about opportunities for supplement funding and develop a plan for such submissions to increase the diversity of researchers in our college.
- Increase students’ participation in research projects and publications. (10% INCREASE)
Research Innovation
Foster the Development and Application of Innovative Methodologies in Population Health Study.
- Support training via seminars and workshops for applying innovative research methods (>5 activities per year)
