How long have you been a member of AACE?
I have been a member of AACE for 6 years.
What is your current position and where do you work?
I am an assistant professor at Northeastern University.
How long have you been doing research in the field of cancer education?
I have been working in the field of cancer education for 10 years.
How did your interest in the field of cancer education begin?
My interest in cancer education began as an undergraduate nursing student. I was a member of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, which is a program to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in research careers. I spent two summers learning about cancer health disparities and specifically about HPV and HPV vaccination. This experience sparked my interest in research and my decision to pursue a Ph.D in Nursing to examine how strategies to address cancer health disparities that disproportionately burden African Americans.
Describe some of your research as it relates to cancer education?
My research perspective draws from a socio-cultural framework that posits that there are social, cultural, and community-level factors that contribute to the HPV-associated cancer disparities among African Americans and people of color. My work uses qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how factors such as social support, cultural beliefs, and health communication influence the adoption of cancer prevention behaviors (i.e. HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening), and preventative sexual health behaviors among African American adolescents and young adults. My research also uses community-based approaches for engaging and strengthening community organizations and faith-based organizations to deliver evidence-based programs that are culturally grounded related to HPV-associated cancer prevention within resource-limited communities.
What motivates you to continue to do research in cancer education?
What motivates me to conduct research in cancer education is the hope that my work can improve the lives of those around me. I believe health is a right for all people regardless of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic position, or gender. By conducting research among African American adolescents and young adults, my hope is to increase the understanding of their lived experiences and how it affects their health outcomes.
Do you have any advice for individuals interested in pursuing a career in cancer education?
My advice is to find a mentor that can advise you on how to maneuver through different spaces and how to build your program of research. I would not be where I am today without my mentors who guided me each step of my career in nursing and cancer prevention research. So I would highly recommend seeking a mentor to all who pursue a career in cancer research.